Undeniable Truths
by MandalorianHybrid
Summary: Something unheard calls the strange to Portland, the damaged, angry and dangerous. It silently beckons them to its shores, mountains and forests with the false promise of a good life. Only a few know it's a lie. Only a few realize that Portland has become the meeting place for the twisted pasts of every broken soul to collide.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is a story I'm toying with. Let me know if it sounds like something any of you would be interested in reading. Thanks! I plan on it involving more of the main characters and their shenanigans. Maybe even smutty lol. Let me know what you think.**

**Undeniable Truths**

**Chapter 1**

The office was busy, but not more than normal. People were being led in and out at a steady pace and she was no different. Another faceless person amongst the crowd was led in wearing her very own pair of handcuffs. She was seated beside the arresting officer and soon asked everything needed for her paperwork to be filled out.

"You're lucky." He said after a few minutes of typing in silence.

She rolled her head lazily, sarcastically, in his direction and cocked a brow.

"How's that, then?" she asked in a soft English accent.

He shifted in his seat to look at the defiant young woman.

"He's not pressing charges." He said simply.

"Oh wonderful." She sighed in derision. "Because that would've put a damper on my day. Now then," she lifted her wrists and showed them to the officer. "If you'd be so kind."

He eyed her sternly, but both knew there was nothing he could do about it. Without charges being filed, her trespassing arrest was little more than a blip in the day and they had no reason to keep her. Reluctantly, he reached for his key and tugged her wrists closer. She said nothing as he unlocked them and soon slid them off.

"I'll take you down to Booking to collect your things." He said as he stood.

She gave him a curt smile and followed, gingerly rubbing her wrists as she did. She was annoyed she'd been arrested, but it wasn't anything new. This time, she'd simply been caught trying to get the pictures her client wanted, nothing more.

Thinking quickly, she'd given a common excuse. Being foreign, she said she was lost, swore the house belonged to someone she knew, and that her camera was nothing more than a hobby. She was always sure to keep a SIM card filled with local images in reserve in case the police arrived. It wouldn't have looked good if they checked her camera and found pictures of the person who called them, would it? At the precinct she'd explain why, but it was far less likely the target would drop charges when there was clear evidence they were being spied on.

Following the portly officer out, the pair had to hesitate briefly. The cop stood aside to let a large man enter the offices. He was tall –dauntingly so- with dark hair cut short to his head and an intimidating glower. With sharp features and an overall imposing figure, it was easy to see why the much rounder officer would allow the second passage. That wasn't the reason, however.

"Captain," the arresting office greeted with a nod of the head.

"Simmons," he replied in a terse voice.

The Captain was prepared to walk on, but instinctively glanced to the young woman following Simmons. She met his stare at the same instant.

Renard felt something cold form at the base of his neck and move south down his spine. His sharp eyes narrowed as he took in the young woman's appearance. There was something oddly familiar about her.

She had rounded features, but they weren't without womanly attributes. Her cheekbones were defined, her chin narrow and her lips full. She wore little makeup which kept her overly fair skin open to the elements. Her dark hair was tied up in a loose fitting bun with random tresses hanging down around her neck and a few pieces of grass and leaves caught within. Her clothing was nothing more than simple, but her knees were muddied as were her elbows.

But those held little to none of his attention. It was her eyes. She was clearly average age, but she stared at him with such animosity he found it almost incredible. She had the eyes of a woman fifty years her senior, the eyes of someone who'd seen more than she rightfully should have and the stern line to her jaw to prove it. And in that stare he noticed something he felt foolish for not realizing before. Her eyes were different colors. One, the left, was a brilliant sapphire blue, a beautiful shade that would make the gemstone jealous. And the other, her right, was a deep emerald green that reminded Renard of the English countryside. They were unique in the strongest sense of the word and familiar too.

The cold feeling dissipated within the few seconds it took for him to recognize her and was replaced with an unease he didn't like.

"Lily," he said before he could stop himself.

Her eyes narrowed and Renard noticed she was examining him the same as he had her. But, unlike him, it took her a few seconds longer to put the pieces together. When he saw a flash of anger, however, he knew she remembered.

"Sean." She greeted icily.

"You look good." He continued. He wasn't one for small talk and the discomfort he felt with it was evident to everyone.

"Thank you. You too, except," she paused and looked over his features. "You've a bit of blood." His brows furrowed slightly. "Just there," she said, pointing to his bottom lip.

Renard instinctively touched his lip. When he pulled his fingers back, they were clean. Before he could speak, he was blindsided. Lily reared back and launched her fist at his face. Knowing his jaw would likely break a few of the small bones in her hand; Lily clamped both hands together and brought the 'wrecking ball' they created across his jaw.

The crack was heard throughout the precinct. Renard stumbled to the side and fell into a nearby desk. He was dazed from the intense –and surprising- hit. Within seconds, officers swarmed the young woman who assaulted their Captain and quickly restrained her. It felt like all of them were attempting to handcuff her at the same time, shuffling her from side to side without regard to whether or not she'd fall, but she didn't care. She kept her two-toned eyes strictly on Renard.

As she was shoved towards the door, he looked up still clutching his now bleeding lip. He saw fire burning through her stare.

"Good seein' you again, Sean." She said derisively before disappearing through the door and into the hall.

Shaking the room back into focus, Renard stood and headed for his office despite the stares he gathered from his officers. He ignored their gawking looks and the questions they would have as he closed his doors, effectively telling them all not to bother asking. He moved at a normal pace to prove he hadn't been as surprised by the hit as he was, and set his things down.

Renard looked around his room before finding a box of Kleenex in his desk. He pulled them out and began dabbing them against his split lip. Part of him briefly wondered if she'd cracked a tooth in the process.

As he pressed the disposable napkin to his lip, Renard habitually ran his tongue along the inside of his lip. He didn't know why he did it, only that he did whenever his lip was injured. It was along the same lines of running the tip of your tongue through the vacant slot a tooth once sat. Same principal.

He dabbed the wound repeatedly and took count of how long it bled before needing another Kleenex. It was on his second one that there was a knock on his door. He glanced up –still pressing the white square to his lip- and noticed a concerned Nick looking in at him. With a reluctant wave, Renard beckoned the Grimm into the room.

Nick slipped into the room easily and closed the door quickly behind him.

"You okay?" he asked. He'd been there to witness the altercation moments before.

"Fine." Renard replied shortly. He pulled the square away again and checked the status of the wound. It had almost stopped bleeding. "It's fine."

"Who was she?"

Renard didn't immediately offer an answer. Instead, he seemed to slip into his own thoughts. He remembered things he'd never share with another person. After a few moments of recollection, he gathered himself enough to speak.

"Old family acquaintance." He replied vaguely.

Nick didn't press. He knew enough about Renard's family history to know he didn't really want to hear anymore.

Aware he wasn't going to press any further, Nick said his farewell to the Captain and slipped back into the main bull-pen.

~!~

Near the end of his work day, after finishing more pressing business, the dauntingly tall man in the well tailored suit made his way into the bottom level of the building, to the holding cells.

He took casual steps into bowels of the basement where they held people who were either going to stay the night or were on their way to the main prison. Lily had been set in the cell closest to the door. She was sitting on her bed with her back to the wall humming something to herself to help pass the time. When she heard the clicking of shoes against the concrete floor she shifted enough to see if she was going to be fed. Her features darkened when presented with the Captain.

Renard didn't immediately speak. Instead, he stepped deeper into the room and took a stance against a wall. He leaned against the cinderblock surface with his hands in his pockets and a look of supreme uncaring on his face. If there was a master of blank expressions, he was taught by Sean Renard. Even people who knew the man didn't know how to read him.

The two stared at one another without speaking despite volumes needing to be explained. Eventually, Lily sighed and went back to resting her head against her wall and humming. Renard cocked a single brow.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked. He'd hoped she would initiate conversation, but she clearly wasn't going to.

"Enjoying my stay in this wonderful facility." She told him evenly.

"I meant in Portland."

"I know what you meant." She said. "And it's none of your concern."

"Isn't it?" he dared. She rolled her head towards him again.

"No." she quipped simply. "Now, are you going to let me out of here, or not?"

"I haven't decided."

"We both know that's a lie. You wouldn't have come down here without first deciding." She told him. "Now, be a good boy and open the door."

"Insults aren't a good way to get ahead in this situation." He said. While he spoke casually, there was clear warning in his voice. "You did just assault the Captain of this precinct, after all."

Without warning Lily laughed. She laughed loudly and jovially. It was more disarming than the anger and violence. At least part of Renard expected that, but not the laughing. As it was, she seemed to enjoy his statement for longer than he would've like before she looked to him again.

"Are you serious?" she laughed again. "_You're _the one in charge?" he said nothing and remained cold towards her. "I wonder what people here would think if they knew they were taking orders from something like you?"

"And what am I?" he dared.

Her face turned angry again.

"A traitor." She hissed through her teeth.

Renard took a deep breath and sighed. His brows twitched together lightly, but the action was so slight it was possible no one would have noticed it. It was the most he could muster when he felt pity for someone.

Shaking his head to himself, Renard stepped forward. He pulled his hands from his pockets. Clutched within his right fist were the keys to her cell. Lily watched from her spot as he unlocked the door and let it swing open. She didn't move.

"Come on." He said.

"You're releasing me?" she asked. He nodded.

Without question, Lily stood and stepped skeptically towards the Captain. Renard did little more than step to the side and let her leave. She glanced at him in passing. She began down the hall and heard the door clang shut behind her. A second later, a hand grabbed her arm. Renard spun her around and held firmly so his point would be understood.

"I don't want to see you in my office again." He told her sternly.

"Are you threatening me, Sean?" she asked without fear.

"A warning." He clarified.

She scoffed and wrenched her arm from his grasp. She glared up at him with hate filling her unusual eyes.

"Don't ever touch me again." She told him darkly. Lily turned her back on Renard and headed for the exit. Before leaving, she yelled over her shoulder. "And don't worry. You won't see me here again." She opened the door and looked at him briefly. "Your officers won't be around to save you next time."

Without another word, Lily left. Renard let his shoulders slump when she was gone. She was going to be added aggravation that he didn't need at the moment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Let me know!**

**Chapter 2**

Lily walked into her apartment and tossed her keys onto the kitchen countertop as the weighted door slammed shut behind her. She stepped into the kitchen and set the rest of her things down. Reaching for a drink from the fridge, she thought about her encounter in the police station.

Sean Renard. She hadn't seen him in years, bordering more on decades. He was a face she honestly never wanted to see again.

With a sigh, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out the real memory card for her camera. Her laptop was resting off to the side where she'd left it earlier in the day. Pulling it close, she snapped the card into the side and loaded the pictures.

As she scanned through them, she decided which would be good for her client to see. Some were more explanatory than others and those would be the focus of her 'presentation'. In two days her client would return from Washington and have plenty of evidence of her husband's infidelity when she did.

Being a private investigator was shotty work, honestly. She didn't like doing it half the time, but it was something she was good at. Her life gave her the needed skills to remain hidden in the shadows or disappear in the crowd and even with the false documents saying so, Lily never went to school.

The only reason she'd been caught this time was the husband had installed motion sensors since his wife's departure, something Lily hadn't been notified of beforehand. Other than that, she wouldn't have been found.

But, as she had the few times she'd been caught before, Lily feigned ignorance. It was easy for people to forgive someone when they apologized copiously for being an idiot. After she told the arresting officers she thought she was at a friend's house and was so incredibly sorry for trespassing, they weren't as suspicious or angry. The same could be said for the target. He just wanted her off his property, but didn't wish to blacken the record of a harmless young woman who accidently got the house numbers mixed up.

With one hand, Lily dragged the photos she'd give her client into a separate folder and with the other she took a drink of water. She was tired and had to take a shower. There was mud on her clothes from where she'd trudged through the damp grass to get onto the property and leaves in her hair too. It was irritating.

After ensuring she had the files she planned to hand over separated and set aside, Lily headed for her bathroom to take a shower.

~!~

When the day came to hand over the evidence she'd collected to her client, Lily met her at a café downtown. She sipped leisurely on her coffee without any true interest as her client clicked through the pictures Lily had taken growing angrier and angrier as she did. It was a common reaction to seeing your husband banging his secretary, but hardly a new concept and Lily wouldn't have been called if there weren't already suspicions.

"That son of a _bitch_." She hissed under her breath. "And with his secretary too…"

"Yes well," Lily mumbled primarily to herself. "That chip there is yours to have. I suggest you keep it handy."

"Oh I will." She said as she popped out the memory card and slid it into her purse. "Did you have trouble with the security system?"

"No," Lily replied. Her client had handed over the security codes in order for Lily to put in a few motion-sensing cameras and told her where the flood lights were outside. "I did, however, set off the sensors outside a few days ago. That was a new addition."

"Did he see you?" she asked with a mild wince.

"He had me arrested."

"Oh god. He didn't find out did he?"

She shook her head softly.

"I was nothing more than a lost tourist." Lily replied. "Now, the rest of my fee, if you would."

"Right."

The woman in her mid-forties reached into her purse and pulled out her checkbook. She began to scribble down the needed information before saying something that made Lily smile internally.

"And here's something extra for doing this so quickly." She said as she filled out the number.

With a smile and flick of the wrist, she pulled the check out of the booklet and handed it over. Lily cocked a brow at the amount written.

"This is two thousand dollars." She said with slight shock. "This is double what you owe me."

"Yeah well, that comes out of his checking account, so enjoy the bonus." She said cheerfully as she stood. "I'm going to go talk to a divorce lawyer."

Lily gave her farewell and slipped the check into her satchel alongside her equipment. She wanted to remain behind and finish her drink, but she didn't get the chance.

Without warning, people stormed the café. Legions of people swarmed the streets and began their psychotic rampage. They threw things through windows, tried to overturn vehicles and attacked patrons. It was like a riot without a reason. And their eyes… their eyes were horrifying, bloodshot and focus-less.

When one launched a fellow customer through the window just behind her, Lily knew she couldn't sit idly by.

~!~

The police swarmed the area, but a decent amount of the crazed people was still loose. Nick and Wu were in the second story of a building dealing with a pair that hadn't been subdued. Nick, staring out the window, noticed the woman who'd run off fighting with three policemen. He wanted to help, to take a shot from where he was, but he knew both were useless ideas.

He was given the chance to fight one of his own again when a man in a worker's uniform came out of hiding. Knocking him out as best he could, Nick quickly dragged him downstairs and into the back of his vehicle. He had to take the crazy person to the Spice Shop for help.

~!~

The station was flooded with witnesses and people who were either attacked or were family of those who did the attacking. Either way, they were understaffed for what was happening which meant civilians lined the halls and took up nearly every chair available. It was a staggering amount.

Renard sighed when he saw the amount of people waiting to speak with officers about what happened. Selfishly, he couldn't help but be glad that he didn't have to be in the office for long to deal with the noise and constant flux of distraught people.

He gathered his jacket and looped it over his arm. He had more important things to do, like meet his brother for lunch and pray Eric wasn't foolish enough to kill him in a hotel room. Though, if anyone could get away with it…

As he navigated his way through the overcrowded precinct and into the hall, Renard noticed something –or someone rather- he hadn't expected. Sitting on one of the benches between distraught visitors and looking as though it were any other day, was Lily. He hesitated. Part of him wanted to speak with her, but the majority of him was wise enough not to. Instead, he continued his stroll and soon caught her eye.

They stared at one another without blinking and without words. They were blank, emotionless, but volumes were said. He could see the unresolved anger in her eyes and knew at some point it should be addressed. He just didn't feel like it at the moment. Again, he had more important things to deal with.

Some time after he'd left and Lily was forced to remain, she spoke with one of the many doing the interviews and told them her side. Having been someone who openly got involved with the assailants, she had a bit more to explain.

She told them what happened, when they attacked, and what she did in response. She told them she always kept an asp on her and gladly used it against the ones who seemed unable to feel pain. After ten minutes, perhaps less, she was allowed to leave. She didn't want to be there much longer anyhow and the police had so many more to talk to. Lily gladly left before she could somehow be dragged into whatever was happening.

~!~

Lily was in the middle of making herself something to eat when there was a knock on her door. She cocked a suspicious brow. No one knew where she lived and the apartment wasn't rented in her name. Reaching for a butcher knife from her block, Lily approached the door just as a second knock sounded. Thankful for the peephole, she glanced through and saw little more than a badge being flashed. Her brows came together tightly and –reluctantly- she opened the door.

"You _must_ be joking." She growled through her teeth. Lily opened the door a bit wider than the initial crack when she saw the badge belonged to the police Captain. "Should I bother asking how you found me?"

Renard did little more than raise a single brow. He stowed his badge.

"What do you want?" she asked, not bothering with a falsely kind tone.

He was about to speak when he noticed her firm grip on the hilt of a rather frightening looking butcher knife.

"You really think that's necessary?" he asked in his typical monotone voice.

"I haven't decided yet." She quipped. "Now answer my question."

"I just came to have a conversation." He glanced briefly to the knife again. "Civilly."

"I make no guarantees."

He met her stare again and noticed the ever present anger. He sighed internally, but did his best to keep any real emotion from his features.

"May I come in?" he finally asked. "I'd rather not discuss this in the hallway."

"Depends on what you wish to discuss."

"I know who's responsible for those people downtown."

"And?"

He bit the inside of his cheek. She didn't seem willing to abide by the civility he'd hoped, but he wasn't entirely surprised by her off-putting attitude either.

"Cracher-Mortel." He said reluctantly.

Lily sighed heavily. Her head dipped to the point she pressed her forehead to the side of her door. She didn't want to let him in, she _really_ didn't, but it didn't look as though she had much choice.

"Come in." she said under her breath.

Lily stepped aside and opened the door the rest of the way. Renard stepped into her apartment, but kept his eye on the butcher knife. He didn't look away from the weapon until he'd made it safely out of her arm's reach.

When he entered the living room, he couldn't help but take in his surroundings. It was a nice place with nice furniture, but it was cold. There wasn't a hint of memorabilia telling a visitor anything about who lived there. There were no pictures, no trinkets, no anything. It was oddly stark despite being full of things.

The heavy door's thunk brought him back from his thoughts. He turned around and watched as Lily elected instead to return to her kitchen. He could see her clearly over the bar dividing the two rooms and watched her continue to stir the sauce she had simmering on the stove.

"You've five minutes to explain why a Cracher-Mortel is in Portland and why I should care." She told him without bothering to look up.

Renard hesitated to offer the information he knew would make her help. It was a dangerous thing, to reveal secrets, especially when the secrets weren't his to tell.

"The Cracher-Mortel is here for the Grimm." He said bluntly.

The stove was on the wall with the bar giving Lily the ability to look at Renard as easily as he could see her. When he spoke plainly of Nick, he noticed her shoulders tense and her eyes to lift. She stared at him with her two-toned orbs through her lashes.

"Repeat that for me."

"There's a Grimm in Portland." He said plainly. "And I believe the Cracher-Mortel was sent here… by my brother."

This time she lifted her head completely. He could see a storm brewing in her eyes, one of fear and intense anger.

"Eric."

Renard nodded.

"Why?"

"The family wants the Grimm on their side."

"They must be planning something big if they'd revert to that again."

"Yes well… there's something else." He said primarily under his breath. She simply waited. "Eric's here, in the city."

This time the anger vanished. Fear dominated her features and her already fair skin turned sickly pale. He expected the reaction, but it still didn't prepare him for seeing it.

"He's here." She repeated with a gasp. "One of the family members is here? I… I can't… he can't find me. Sean, they can't know I'm here."

His brows came together. The sullen woman he'd recently grown accustomed to seeing was suddenly transformed again into the frightened thirteen year old girl he'd first met all those years ago.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Lily began to tremble. Her mind flashed with memories, threats and all manner of horrible things. Renard remained where he was with his hands resting within the pockets of his trench coat and watched as she quickly sank into her fear. She continued to repeat _they found me_ and _no_ over and over again and finally Renard couldn't handle it.

He stepped around the bar and into her kitchen. Lily was so lost in her own world that she didn't noticed the nearly six-and-a-half-foot man approach her. All she felt her arms circling around her and holding her tight. They encompassed her completely and she felt briefly safe.

"They can't find me." She repeated softly. "Not again."

"He doesn't know you're here." Renard said. "None of the seven families know you're here. You're safe."

His words helped more than she realized they would. They helped bring her out of her fear, but in doing so she realized something else. Lily suddenly shoved at Renard's chest until he was forced to let her go. He sighed and looked down at her. The anger had returned.

"Don't touch me." She warned again. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at her personality shift. "Why are you telling me this if they haven't found me?"

"Because I need your help."

"With what?"

"I need to get this under control." He replied sternly. Talking about what was happening gave him an outlet. It let him return to his own cold and calculating default. "Eric is risking all of us in this and you don't want attention drawn to Portland anymore than I do." She didn't speak. Instead her stare turned to a glower. "Especially considering _who_ may take notice." Her glower deepened. His tone turned airy and light which made her want to stab him all the more. "The Council…" he began. "The other families… the Verrat… the list goes on, doesn't it?"

He knew he was going about asking for her help the wrong way. Renard had no intentions of altering the others to her presence, but she didn't know that. So long as Lily suspected he might, Renard hoped she'd come to his side.

"You've no idea the things I want to do to you right now." She said so darkly it actually made his back tense.

"I'm not here to fight, Lily." He said as though her threat hadn't affected him. "These people are dangerous and I need someone I can trust."

She scoffed which wasn't what he expected to hear.

"You've no idea how ridiculous that statement is to me when it comes from something like you."

He growled internally.

"I don't have time for this." He snapped before he could stop himself. He saw her ready to spout something in return and cut her off before she had the chance. "Look," he sighed. "I'm not responsible for what happened to you or your parents." Her stare turned downright deadly. "We kept your secrets."

"Then who did?" she demanded.

"I don't know." He shot back. "Perhaps you weren't as careful as you thought you were."

The air had become tense within the few minutes of conversation. She was angry, resentful and wanted revenge for what happened to her, and he understood, but he wasn't at fault. Renard needed help and was forced to ask someone who hated him more than his own family for imagined slights.

After a moment or two, Renard sighed again. His head dropped and his hands returned to his pockets. He took a minute to collect himself and ensure he would yell again when he spoke before he met her eye again.

"Please." He said.

Both knew the word was something Sean Renard didn't prefer to use, if at all, and knew there was a reason behind the sudden change in character.

Whether she wanted to or not, Lily felt herself inclined to agree with him. It wasn't his threats of outing her to people she rather remain hidden to, it was the other risks. She'd come in contact with those people infected earlier in the day and she knew how dangerous the Carcher-Mortel was.

"Fine." She sighed under her breath. Lily reached over and shut off the stove. "Give me a moment to change."

She slipped passed Renard and headed for her bedroom to put on something she wouldn't mind getting dirty. Renard relaxed once she agreed. He felt better having someone with her fighting skills on his side. He knew he had Nick, Hank and their friends, but another was better.

Seeing the white sauce on the stove begin to settle without heat to keep it simmering, Renard felt a brow rise. He reached for the wooden spoon still resting inside the pot and tasted the creation.

"Hm." He said to himself. He was a little surprised she knew how to cook considering how they'd met and the way she was raised.

~!~

_Eighteen years ago:_

"_Come along, ma chère," she whispered as they trudged through the fern covered ground. _

_The trees hung high overhead and the shadows they cast seemed blacker than anything possible. The moon never reached them, but that didn't matter. She could still see. Her golden eyes pierced the night's thick veil and led her and her daughter through the forest. _

_The girl's foot caught an overturned root and sent her slamming into the ground. She whimpered when she hit and fought the urge to cry._

"_Can't we stop?" she begged._

"_No darling," her mother said. She knelt down to inspect her daughter's knees and ensure they weren't injured. When she saw they were blood free, she met the girl's frightened and tired face. She smiled as warmly as she could. "We're nearly there. Just a bit further, all right? Can you do that for me?"_

_Whether she wanted to or not the little girl nodded. Looping her arms beneath her daughter's, the young woman lifted the child to her feet and continued through the trees. She followed the scent like she'd been told, noticed the markers and did her best to keep her pace brisk while aware her daughter was tired._

_Eventually –after what felt like miles- a small blink of light pierced the darkness. Sheer relief swelled within her. Without bothering to usher her daughter along, the young woman knelt down and lifted her into her arms. A girl her size should have caused the woman discomfort, to grunt in pain or something, but she was filled with too much adrenaline to notice. Their salvation was only yards ahead._

_She wove through the trees and felt her heart leap as the light grew larger. Soon, it was directly in front of her and she could feel the sleep try to take hold. Her golden eyes vanished because she no longer needed their help and she gently set her daughter down._

_The little cabin was nestled so deeply in the woods she was amazed she found it at all. It was a single story structure that leaned a bit to the side. The wooden slates that covered the exterior were dark from age. Moss clung t their ragged sides as well as vines. The roof was the same, covered with so many fallen branches and plant life that it looked to be apart of the forest itself. In the daylight –assuming light could pierce the thick canopy above- the house would be green._

_Holding her daughter's hand, she stepped onto the rickety stairs that led to the wooden door. They creaked loudly beneath her weight. Without warning, the door swung open spilling light onto those standing in front og the threshold. _

_A loud hiss and growl came from the creature that opened the door. Its long gray hair billowed in the light breeze. Its sickly gray skin looked like it struggled to cling to its bones as it glared at them with one large, hideous eye._

_The young woman didn't hesitate to respond. Her features disappeared and were soon engulfed in that of an animal. Silvery fur sprang from every inch of exposed skin, her eyes glowed gold again and her teeth became razor sharp. She roared loudly at their possible attacker._

_No one moved for a moment or two, each of them growling deeply at the other, before the witch in the cabin transformed. The disgusting creature vanished and what was left behind was nothing compared to before. She was beautiful and her smile looked kind. The gray hair was gone and replaced with soft blond tresses, her skin was suddenly supple and healthy and her eyes were brilliant blue._

_The young woman still clutching her daughter's hand relaxed as well when the threat vanished. The fur, the golden eyes and the fangs all disappeared revealing the dark-haired woman she once was._

"_I was wondering if you were going to make it." The witch said with a warm, English accent. "Please."_

_She stepped aside and let the two strangers into the cabin. The young woman ushered her daughter inside the dwelling and towards the smoldering fire so they could warm._

"_You must be Michelle." The witch continued as she closed the door again and locked it._

"_Yes," the stranger replied. Now that a fire was near she felt the cold more and her accent became thicker._

"_You can relax now." The witch said in French, sensing Michelle would have an easier time with her native tongue. "You're safe."_

_Michelle kept her arms wrapped protectively around her daughter, but shifted enough she could see the blond clearly. While her body may have relaxed as she warmed by the fire, she wasn't towards their hostess._

"_We won't be safe until we've left here."_

_The witch only smiled and nodded. She understood the sentiment._

"_Be that as it may, you are safe in this cabin." She said in English. "Rest, both of you."_

_Michelle watched the witch skeptically as she walked across the room and grabbed a folded blanket. She unfurled it and stepped towards the pair still shivering from their trek through the woods. Without speaking, she threw the blanket over their shoulders and let them remain by the fire to warm._

_She continued to watch the witch. It wasn't that she was ungrateful for the aid; it was simply her current personality. When the blond haired woman took a seat at the distant table, Michelle turned her attention back to her daughter._

"_There now," she whispered again in French. She rubbed the child's arms repeatedly and delighted that her shaking was subsiding. "You can rest now, Lillian. Sleep."_

_Eventually, sheer exhaustion took over and both strangers slipped into a deep slumber regardless of the woman they didn't know in the corner._

_~!~_

_The sound and smell of food forced Lillian to wake. She was groggy and her clothes still a bit damp. The surface beneath her was plush, but she didn't remember ever lying on a bed. Confused, she pushed herself up. Her eyes took a moment or two to focus, but when they had, she realized she didn't recognize anything. The blond from the night before was gone as was her mother. The cabin was empty._

_Her brows came together. She was about to start yelling for her mother, terrified something or someone had found them when she noticed movement. Her attention snapped to the fireplace. A large figure was leaning over tending to the flames. Fear shot through her at the sight of a stranger man._

_She clamored for the knife she kept strapped to her leg. Her frantic actions drew the attention of the man by the fire. No sooner than he turned around to see her awake did she have the knife in her hand._

"_Who are you?!" she demanded. The statement came out with more of a squeak than she meant it to._

"_Hey," he replied easily. He held his hands up to show he was unarmed. "There's no need for that."_

"_Where's my mother?!" _

_He raised a brow and continued to eye Lillian skeptically. He was a foot taller than her and a good deal broader. If she thought she had a chance at a fight, she was sorely mistaken, but he didn't want her to know. So he remained calm._

"_Mother!" he called just loud enough those outside could hear. "She's awake!"_

_The door soon opened and the blond from the night before stepped inside. She seemed mildly amused, but not surprised that Lillian had pulled a knife._

"_There's no need for that, my dear." She said simply. As she emerged in the cabin, Lillian noticed her own mother follow suit. "You're quite safe."_

"_You don't need the knife, Lily." Michelle said with a hint of a proud smile. _

_Lily slowly lowered the blade, but didn't look as though she understood what was happening._

"_Lillian," the blond said, drawing the girl's eyes. "This is my son, Sean. Sean, this is Lillian Lavasseur-Quinn."_

"_Yeah," he answered with a gruff sigh. "We've met."_

_Without another word to her, he turned his attention back to the fire. _

~!~

Present:

Renard and Lily rode together in silence to the shipping yard. Neither of them had spoken since Lily said she was going to change and that was nearly a half an hour prior.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Renard pulled up to the chaotic scene. He and Lily were already bloody from the fight they'd already been through and their sour moods had worsened, but both knew their night wasn't over yet.

"Who the hell is this?" Juliette demanded when they began to pile into the SUV.

Renard glanced to the woman in the passenger seat with the busted lip and gash beneath her eye. She turned and gave him the same blank stare. He sighed to himself and threw the vehicle into drive after the others had pressed themselves uncomfortably into the back seat.

"That's a long story." He grumbled as he drove away.

They were soon speeding along the highway towards the air strip. He told them about what he'd seen and that Eric was working with the Cracher-Mortel. Hank called ahead and tried to make sure the security on the air-field kept the plane from leaving.

"So, seriously, who are you?" Juliette demanded again.

Renard glanced to Lily out of the corner of his eye and realized she probably wasn't going to offer an answer, so he did it instead. The situation was already contentious and he didn't need the added panic a new face would bring.

"Her name's Lillian Lavasseur-Quinn."

"Who the hell is that?" she snapped.

"Whoa…" Monroe mumbled at the same time.

Attention shifted to him and Rosalee. Both shared blank expressions that harbored a hint of worry. Their eyes fell to the young woman who hadn't spoken or even acknowledged the other four bodies in the SUV.

"Are you serious?" Monroe asked. He whispered it loud enough the Captain could hear which was pointless considering Lily could too.

"What?" Juliette asked. "What's that mean?"

Lily looked up into the rearview mirror and saw Monroe staring at her in shock along with Rosalee who was sitting in his lap.

"Uh…" he began. He wasn't sure how to explain how he knew the name.

"It's a long story." Renard repeated. "But she's friend."

Lily couldn't fight the derisive laugh under her breath when he called her a friend. It was something the others saw and heard, but didn't remark on. They didn't have the time to worry about a new face.

~!~

When they reached the airfield, they were too late. The plane was already gone, climbing high into the air with Nick aboard. Juliette screamed her anger with the situation, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. Even slapping the Captain wasn't going to magically make it come back, but Juliette did feel better for it.

"What the hell are we going to do with them?" Monroe asked as he pointed to the two officers on the ground.

"We have to take them with us." Rosalee said. "We can't treat them right now."

Reluctantly, but having no other choice, the small grouping of people loaded the officers into the back of the SUV. With so much to do, Renard didn't hesitate to throw on his lights and sirens to avoid just about every speed block possible on his way to the shop.

Once he pulled up, Rosalee, Monroe and Juliette leapt out without needing to be told. Hank was ready to follow until Renard told him he needed to stay. They had the police aspect to contend with. And then he turned to Lily.

"I need you to stay here with them." He said.

She turned towards him at an eerily slow pace.

"Are you joking?" she asked. Hank tried not to show he was surprised she spoke, but it was difficult. For well over an hour she'd remained mute. "You drag me along only to drop me off?"

"They need someone who can handle themselves if anything else comes this way. Besides," he sighed. "We both know you don't want to be stuck in a car with me for much longer."

Growling her frustration under her breath, Lily exited the vehicle and headed inside. Renard sped off before she made it to the door.

When she stepped inside, she heard the others arguing about whether or not to go after Nick. Rosalee was the smart one, trying to tell them it would be suicide, but the other two seemed determined to get themselves killed.

"This is the royal family you're talking about." Rosalee defended. "They have money, protection. We wouldn't stand a chance."

"I know who we're dealing with." Monroe asserted.

"You truly don't." Lily said as she entered the side room.

The trio inside jumped slightly. They hadn't expected anyone else to join them, let alone the once silent companion of the Captain.

As she walked into the room, her eyes were primarily on Monroe.

"They'll destroy your entire world with the same effort it takes for them to draw breath." She continued. "You've no idea the hell they will bring down on you."

"Look," he said with a growl to his words. "You're new here, okay? But Nick is our friend. We're not going to leave him to the royals. They'll torture him. Someone like you should-"

Monroe stopped himself the moment he realized what he was saying. In his anger and frustration, he nearly said something he knew he'd regret.

"Someone like me should what?" she dared.

"Nothing…"

Lily rolled her eyes. Rosalee shot him a warning glance he noticed. Juliette didn't understand what was happening or what was going unsaid between Lily and everyone else. She opened her mouth to demand answers, but didn't get the chance. Rosalee interrupted the tense situation with an idea of how to administer the dosage to everyone infected.

The group scattered to quickly gather everything needed to make the antidote into something the affected could breathe. Even Lily helped gather empty bottles they could break.

Rosalee, Monroe and Juliette spoke to each other while they gathered things. Like she had since they first saw her, Lily remained silent. She didn't know these people nor did she feel the need to try.

An assembly line had been set up as the most effective way to pour the mixture into the bottles. Rosalee gathered a few funnels that would aid them in getting the liquid into their receptacles. While she and Monroe continued to get everything ready, Juliette caught sight of Lily out of the corner of her eye. She watched the dark-haired woman dividing corks and stoppers between the bottles and figured this might be the best chance to have the questions she wanted to ask answered.

"Lily, right?" Juliette said as she moved closer to the silent woman. Lily glanced to Juliette sideways to let the red-head know she'd been heard and nodded. "Can I ask you something?" She noticed Lily hesitate to offer an answer one way or another for a moment. Hesitantly, she nodded. Juliette looked around briefly to make sure Monroe and Rosalee weren't listening before asking. "Why are they scared of you?"

Lily scoffed under her breath and actually smirked lightly.

"They're not frightened of me." She said as she set the final stopper beside the last bottle.

"I saw the way they were looking at you in the car." Juliette asserted as Lily gave her full attention. "They're scared of you, or at least worried about you."

"It's got nothing to do with me." She said simply. The two who weren't involved in the conversation soon realized Juliette and Lily were speaking and began to spy. "It's my name, not me."

Juliette's eyes narrowed and her brows came together.

"Why would they be scared of your _name_?"

Lily shrugged lightly despite knowing full well.

"Perhaps you should ask them."

Lily motioned to the two she knew were listening. Her direction caused Juliette to look up and see the same. Monroe and Rosalee tried to appear busy, but Juliet caught it beforehand.

"And how do you know Captain Renard?"

Monroe and Rosalee didn't bother hiding their curiousity at that particular question. They knew the answer to the rest, but not that… They wanted to know that.

Lily twitched and her fists clenched lightly. She looked like she was angry or embarrassed, but since they didn't know her before that night, none in the Shop knew how to decipher the woman's mannerisms.

"I know him better than I'd like." She admitted vaguely. "And that's all I'd care to say on the matter."

Her somber attitude accompanied with the stories Monroe and Rosalee had heard about the Lavasseur-Quinns, they didn't want to press the issue anymore than Juliette already had. More than willing to let the issues lie, everyone happily went back to the task at hand.

~!~

Rosalee loaded the bottles into a wooden crate she'd been using for the storage of dried herb bundles to better carry it to the car. Lily helped her and after being asked, took them to the car with Rosalie leaving Monroe and Juliette alone in the Shop for a moment. Monroe was ready to join the others before Juliette grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Tell me the truth." Juliette said. "Who is this woman?"

"I don't think we should really be getting into this right now, do you?"

"No," she snapped softly. "Now. There are too many people coming and going and I need to know if this woman is someone we can trust." She said with a hint of desperation. He understood. She was simply terrified and thrust into a world that was still too new. She wanted to know the basics and he could give her that. "Just tell me why you guys are so afraid of her."

Monroe hesitated. He was uncomfortable with what he was about to have to do for more than one reason. Not only was it a bit of a horror story, but one he didn't have all the facts to either. What he heard were more rumors than anything, rumors he didn't think were true until Renard mentioned Lily's full name.

"It's like she said." He finally said. "It's not really her, I guess, it's her family name."

"Is she another royal or something?"

"No, god no." he said with a shudder. "No, she's just…" he glanced over his shoulder to make sure neither Lily nor Rosalee were coming up behind him. "Her family is kind of infamous in our world."

"Are they criminals?"

"Uh… yeah, I guess you could say that." He replied. Monroe noticed her expression darken with more worry and slight fear. "But nothing bad." He said quickly. "Not really, at least. I mean, it's nothing that you guys would think is bad."

"Well," she crossed her arms as she tried to wrap her mind around the wayward explanation. "What'd her family do? What would you guys think is so bad, but we wouldn't?"

He began to shift uncomfortably, but she continued to press. She had to know what they'd deemed bad while her world wouldn't.

"She was born." He said under his breath.

Juliette's mouth opened. It looked as though she was about to say something, but couldn't form the words right away.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked in disbelief. "Her parents are criminals because she was born? That's insane." Monroe shrugged. There was nothing he could offer her in the ways of further explanation. "So wait, if she's from your world, does that mean she's Wesen too?"

"Well…" he said in a higher pitch than Juliette was used to.

Monroe hesitated for a little while before he opened his mouth again to tell her what he'd heard, but he never had the chance. Before he could reply, Rosalee and Lily walked through the front door and ushered the pair to leave so they could deliver the antidote.

As they piled into the car, Juliette couldn't help but stare at Lily sideways. She didn't trust the young woman that worried some of her friends and that Renard freely brought around without the slightest introduction. With Nick gone, people rampaging and the royals trying to kill them, Juliette didn't feel like she had to trust the newcomer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The plane had gone down. The others infected were cured. Nick was infected, went completely Berserk and he was gone. The longer Lily followed Renard and the others the more she began to question why.

"We need you in there with us." Renard told Lily.

"Why am I even still following this?" she hissed through her teeth. She didn't appreciate commands being barked at her or that she was dragged into something that had nothing to do with her.

Renard grabbed her arm and tugged her just a bit to the side. His intention was to keep the conversation private, but that wasn't what happened. The others were too interested in what was being said.

"The more of us the better." He told her sternly. "Nick is unpredictable right now."

"I'm not like you." She said just as tersely.

His brows pulled together.

"What?" he could hide his surprise. "But your mother-"

"I didn't take after her." She interrupted. Her expression fell slightly. "I'm a Kehrseite, Sean. I'm not Wesen."

He ground his teeth in frustration. The banging within the barn grew louder and he knew he didn't have time to argue or dwell on the fact she wasn't as strong as he needed.

"Fine." He sighed. "Stay out here and make sure they're safe."

Lily nodded. With Hank and Monroe at his side, Renard locked himself inside the barn. Lily -left behind and suddenly filled with nervous energy- began to pace. Juliette and Rosalee watched her skeptically. She was clearly a fighter with nothing to fight.

Broken wood suddenly filled the air. Lily stopped. Her gaze shifted to the barn. Whatever was happening inside was getting worse. Knowing she couldn't remain outside any longer, Lily reached behind herself and pulled two small chunks of metal out of her waistband. With a flick of her wrists, the chunks expanded into two foot long asps. Without hesitation, she reared back and slammed the heel of her boot into the barn doors. The wood splintered around the lock and gave way under the intense hit. She raced into the fight without question.

Rosalee and Juliette followed with the cure ready to be used. They only had to wait, so they remained in the background watching the battle rage.

Nick launched one body away from him after another. Lily ran for Nick and dropped to her knees just as he swung wildly at her head. She slid on the hay-covered floor. With her gathered strength, she brought each asp against the back of Nick's knees, hard. He screamed loudly in pain and collapsed to the ground. Juliette lunged for him and slammed the needles into his stomach. He reared back and smashed the back of his hand against her face sending her flying. Rosalee took her place and pressed the plunger down, injecting Nick with the serum.

He stumbled and tried to keep fighting, but the antidote soon took hold and he collapsed. The air began to calm and everyone was finally given the chance to breathe.

"Oh my god…"

Attention shifted to Monroe. He was staring at Lily with wide eyes and an open mouth. Slowly, the Blutbad subsided and it was only him looking at her. Lily moved uncomfortably and turned her back to him.

"What? What's wrong?" Rosalee asked.

Monroe pointed to the woman he'd been gawking at. Lily kept her back to him because she knew what he was going to say.

"She's a Grimm."

Rosalee -along with the others- shot Lily a glance. She could feel their eyes on her back and instead slammed the tips of her asps into her thighs, collapsing them again. She walked out of the barn without bothering to speak to anyone else.

"Are you sure?" Rosalee whispered under her breath.

"Oh yeah," Monroe nodded. "But something's wrong with her."

Rosalee's brows came together. She looked out the barn doors, but Lily had already disappeared. They didn't have time to dwell on her however when they heard sirens in the background.

"Come on." Hank called out. "Let's get Nick out of here."

They mobilized around their friend and quickly pulled his unconscious body out of the barn.

~!~

The gathered group of six stood in the side room of the Spice Shop while Nick rested on the cot. Hank, Rosalee, Monroe and Juliette hovered around Nick, but Renard and Lily stood in the background. They weren't close enough to anyone else to linger so closely. Besides, the open affection made the pair of them equally uncomfortable.

"I'm going to return to the Precinct." Renard finally chimed. "And deal with what's happened."

"I'm staying." Hank replied.

"It's probably best that you do." He nodded. Renard glanced over his shoulder at Lily. "I can take you home."

Lily seemed relieved and happily walked out of the shop without a glance back. She simply wanted to go home. Renard followed shortly after leaving the others to eye them sternly as they did.

"I don't know about you guys, but those two…" Monroe said. He wasn't sure how to complete the sentence, but everyone else seemed to share the sentiment.

"I know what you mean." Rosalee replied with a sigh. "You said she's a Grimm?"

"Yeah," Monroe scoffed. "But there's something off."

"She's a Grimm too?" Juliette asked as she continued to hold Nick's hand. "But I thought you said she was Wesen?"

"Honestly, until the barn, I didn't know _what_ she was."

"How's that possible? You said you recognized her name and you knew about her parents."

Monroe and Rosalee shared apprehensive glances which Juliette had grown to know meant they were going to say something that no one was going to like. Hank recognized it too.

"What?" he asked with a heavy sigh.

"The reason we didn't know what she was," Rosalee began tentatively. "Is because _no one_ knew what she was."

"She's either Wesen or not, right?" Hank said. "Those are kind of the only options."

"Not exactly." Monroe winced. He looked at Juliette. "Remember how I told you her parents were kind of infamous?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "You said they were criminals."

"Well, that's because Andrew Quinn was a Grimm." Monroe answered hesitantly before adding, "And Michelle Lavasseur was Wesen."

Juliette's face fell.

"Is that even possible?" Hank asked, voicing what Juliette couldn't immediately get out.

"Well yeah." Rosalee nodded. "Technically, the only thing that makes Grimms all that different from Wesen is that they can see us. They're still basically human."

"But it is so _unbelievably_ frowned upon." Monroe said. "I mean, the fact that it even happened is…" he couldn't find the words to describe how disturbing the whole thing was.

"How _does_ something like that happen then, if it's so unheard of?" Hank asked.

"Not really sure." Monroe admitted. "I mean, from what I've heard, Andrew Quinn was some kind of 'bad ass' Grimm and he was causing a lot of trouble for one of the royal families. So, they hired out to have him taken care of, but that wasn't what happened."

"Evidently not." Juliette muttered.

"However it happened," Rosalee said, trying to move passed her own discomfort with the topic of conversation. "The fact that they not only got married, but had a child made just about everyone in our world angry. The two of them practically spit in the face of everything we stand for, Grimm and Wesen both."

"You said _was_ earlier." Juliette said. "Does that mean they're not together anymore, or…"

She already knew the answer to her question and if her own suspicions weren't enough, the look on both Monroe and Rosalee's faces was enough to tell her all she needed to know.

"What happened?" Hank asked.

"The same thing that happens in every star-crossed lovers story." Monroe replied sadly. "Their pasts caught up with them. Rumor was a friend betrayed them, sold them out to the highest bidder. Until earlier, the story was the whole family was killed."

Juliette's heart fell just a bit. She felt bad for being so suspicious of the newcomer, but she knew she had the right to be. After everything they'd been going through the passed 24 hours, paranoia was the natural state of mind. But now that she knew, she felt a little more comfortable around Lily. They weren't friends by any sight –and likely never would be- but Juliette felt prepared to at least offer thanks for the woman's help.

"So, I guess that means she's both right? Grimm and Wesen?" Hank asked curiously.

"Not necessarily." Rosalee said. "She could've have been one or the other, or neither, but I don't think she can be both."

"Why not?"

She didn't offer an immediate answer. Rosalee wasn't certain how she knew, but something told her someone couldn't be both. It felt like the two traits were simply too dominant and would only allow one to reign supreme. Still, it wasn't as though they had proof of it until now anyway.

Eventually, she explained her train of thought to the others. It was complicated because she didn't understand it completely either, but they agreed she was probably right. In truth, no one had the strength to think of anything else and it really didn't matter. They were more concerned with Nick's recovery than Lily's heritage.

~!~

Lily peeled off her jacket and threw it somewhere into the room. She didn't notice where it fell or if it even touched the floor. Instead, she hobbled into the bathroom to tend to her wounds before she went to bed.

Nick had gotten his hands on her before Rosalee and Juliette injected him. It wasn't much, but he landed a sharp blow to her side which she was certain resulted in a few broken ribs. They'd heal eventually, but until then breathing would hurt.

She trudged into the bathroom after slipping her shirt off, too. She noticed the fist sized bruise on her side and growled because of it. There was nothing to do so she turned her attention to her face instead. Planting her palms on either side of her sink and stared at her reflection.

The cut beneath her eye had a bruise now. The blood was smeared and dried, but wouldn't need any extra help. Her lip was slightly swollen, but just as easily dealt with as her eye. All she had to do was wash away the residual blood and let them heal on their own.

She sighed heavily at what she saw looking back at her. For someone who survived because she was hidden, Lily had just brought a lot of attention to herself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Renard called a meeting –of sorts- at the Spice Shop to tell everyone what was happening on the police end of things. He called Lily beforehand and brought her with him so she could be apart of what they were going to have to do.

"I think we can agree that it would be in Nick's best interest if we keep as much of this from him as possible." Renard said plainly. "Ironically, the fake identity my brother created to get Nick out of the country is working in our favor."

"But what if someone sees him on the surveillance footage?" Juliette asked.

"So far, none has surfaced." He said. She nodded slowly. "Now, two detectives have been assigned to the case. From the police report, they know three women were with me that night and they're going to want to talk to all of us."

"And I know what we should tell them." Rosalee said.

"Yeah, everything as far from the truth as possible." Monroe replied.

"Okay," Juliette mumbled. It was clear she was having trouble wrapping her mind around lying to the police, but she knew she wanted to protect Nick. "So we agree that _all_ of us are going to lie to keep him safe?"

There were nods amongst those gathered, but Juliette's eyes fell to one. She stared openly at Lily. The young woman met her stare head on.

"Are you going to lie too?"

"It appears so." Lily sighed.

"Why?" she asked before she could stop herself. "Why are you doing any of this?"

Lily took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Honestly, she didn't have the slightest idea. She knew why she began the adventure, but she wasn't sure what kept her with it. The best she could do was shrug. It wasn't an answer Juliette or the others wanted, but one they had to accept.

"Now then," Renard said before anyone else could question whether or not Lily would stay with the lie. "We need to agree on three things. We were chasing down an infected suspect, who was identified as Thomas Schirach. Now, you three were there because you had a treatment that worked. Okay?" the three women nodded. "Good. Now, we need to be sure we have the details right, because that's where this whole thing can come undone."

When the details had been hammered out, Renard took Lily back to her apartment. He understood Juliette's reservations and planned to address them after he found out more about how the investigation was going.

Without a word, she exited his SUV and made her way to her home. She was angry and he felt he knew why.

~!~

As he knew he would, Renard headed to Lily's apartment again after giving the two detectives on the case everyone's name. He wasn't happy about the meeting, but he wanted to make sure she played along with everyone else.

He knocked on her door heavily, something he knew she'd hear and likely hate. Sure enough, when she opened the door a moment later, she glowered up at him.

"What?" she asked tersely.

"I'm not going to argue again in the hall." He sighed.

She rolled her eyes and turned. When the door didn't slam in his face, Renard took it as an invitation inside. Still, he was careful around her. He didn't want an arrow to suddenly soar through the air towards his head.

As he made his way to her living room, he noticed something unusual. Evidently, he'd interrupted her in the middle of something. She had her own family's books littering the living room. Some were opened, others were stacked elsewhere, but all were old and haggard. Sitting on her coffee table were a handful of open Chinese food containers and a laptop connected to something in her lap. Raising a brow, Renard watched Lily go back to what he'd interrupted. With food in one hand and a portable scanner in the other, Lily began to work. She swiped it slowly down the aged page and let it load into the computer before moving on, eating a few bites of lo mein with a fork in the process.

"How very modern of you." He said with a hint of sarcasm. Lily glanced at him, her cheek distended with and a stern stare in her eyes.

"Why are you here again, Sean?" she asked when she swallowed the bite.

"I want to make sure you hold up to your end of the story." He said plainly.

She scoffed under her breath. Without an immediate answer, she turned the page in her book and began to scan again.

"Worried I might out you and your rather elaborate plot to keep your Detective safe?"

"Something like that."

"Well, no worries." She said. She kept working without bothering to look at him again. "I haven't any desire to reveal anything to an outsider, especially where I'm concerned."

"That's good." He nodded.

Lily made a face at his answer. She widened her eyes briefly as though sarcastically saying _no shit, you idiot_ at his uncomfortable answer. He hated that he actually heard her voice in his head when he saw it. He chewed briefly on the inside of his cheek as he thought about something else he wanted to say. It was dangerously close to heartfelt which immediately turned his stomach. Lily was like him in that regard. Neither of them appreciated the kinder, softer side of things. After the lives they lived, it seemed unnatural and wrong.

"Is that it?" she asked when she realized she'd scanned and loaded nearly five pages since he last spoke. "Or," she looked at him to see him standing near one of her chairs in his trench coat and suit. "Have you decided to become another bit of furniture in my home?"

He glared lightly at her. No longer concerned with the conversation he'd been debating on having, Renard turned towards the door. Before he reached for the handle, three loud bangs echoed. His back tightened and Lily's attention sharpened. She shot to her feet and pushed him out of the way to see through the peephole. Without a word, she spun on her heel and began to shove him towards the bedroom. Renard was annoyed, but did as she so brutishly demanded. With him safely hidden, she cracked the door behind him and jogged for the front once again as another chorus of bangs sounded.

She opened the door to reveal two men she didn't know.

"May I help you?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

"Ma'am, are you Ms. Quinn?" the white-haired one asked.

"Yes," she answered with the appropriate level of skepticism. "May I ask what this is about?"

"Ma'am, I'm Detective Baur." The white-haired one said. "And this is my partner Detective Holtby. We were sent here by Captain Renard."

"In regards to what?" she wished they'd come out and say why they were there so she could stop playing ignorant. It was actually a bit irritating.

"We're here about the bar fight the other night. Captain Renard told us you were one of the people who witnessed it." Holtby said.

"Oh, alright. Well, come in, please."

She stood aside and let the two men follow her into her home.

"I don't know how much help I'll be though. The fight was long over once we arrived at the bar." She said. Lily regained her seat amidst her books which she didn't clear away and the detectives noticed quickly.

"Interesting reading…" Holtby said as they looked over the partial library.

"Yes well," she said with a light giggle. "Old heirlooms and the like. Some of these books are so old that the spines are giving way, so I've decided to scan them onto a computer for safe keeping."

"Smart." Baur said. He wasn't really sure how to proceed with that particular line of conversation. "May we sit?"

"Of course." She waved her hand to the chairs across from the couch and closed her current book to give them her full attention. "Now, what can I help you with?"

"We just have a few simple questions." Baur said. He pulled out his notepad and flipped it open so he could begin scribbling. Out of sight, Renard listened closely to what was being said. "How long have you been in Portland?"

"About six months, give or take."

"And how do you know the Captain?" Holtby asked.

"Our parents were friends," she openly lied. "So we would see one another on occasion while growing up."

"You knew the Captain as a kid?" Holtby asked with a smile. "I'd love to hear some of those stories."

He and Baur laughed while Lily kept a kind smile that bothered her to fake.

"And is that how you knew about the outbreak?" Baur asked, continuing with the questions.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Now, our records say you were involved with an altercation earlier that day, right?"

"Yes. I'm a Private Investigator and I was in one of the cafes downtown with a client that was ransacked by some of those individuals." She explained. "When that happened, I asked Sean what I could do to help, if anything. Later that night he asked if I could help keep those two young women safe while they created an antidote."

"Really?" Holtby asked with a smirk. "But, you're so small." Her smiled faded and she cocked a brow at his phrasing when speaking about her 5'6" frame. He cleared his throat and adjusted himself briefly. "Never mind, I can see it."

Baur chuckled at his partner's expense and decided he should probably be the only one to speak.

"Have you heard the name Thomas Schirach?" Baur asked.

"A bit. From what I gathered, he's the one that started all of this." She said. "Is that true? Was one man the whole cause?"

"It's looking that way, ma'am."

She fought a fake shudder to show how eerie the thought was.

"Can you tell us what he looked like?"

"No, I'm sorry. I never saw the man."

"Where did those injuries come from?" he asked, pointing at her face with the end of his pen.

"My own run in with the infected." She said with a kind smile. "They weren't all together friendly."

The two detectives smiled and nodded their understanding.

"So, do you have any idea what was going on?"

"No." she shook her head. "Again, I'm not entirely certain what happened. Apparently the young women I was with knew how to treat it, I'm guessing. Sean simply wanted me to make sure they were safe since the police were busy elsewhere."

"And just one more thing," Baur said with a hint of an ominous tone. "Why were you arrested?"

"You mean last week?" she asked with a light laugh. They nodded. "The client I met the day this ordeal began had hired me to catch her husband with his infidelity." She explained. "She gave me permission to be on the property, but unfortunately didn't warn me about the motion sensors. I wasn't as crafty as I thought I was."

"Could we have her contact information?"

"Oh," she began to feign worry. "You're not going to drag her into this are you? I try to keep my client's confidential."

"Well, we just want to check out your story, that's all. You know, cross the I's and dot the T's." Baur joked.

"Of course. Oh!" she chimed with the same nauseating innocence she'd been using the entire conversation. "She paid me with a check, could you use that instead of contacting her? It had her name on it as well as his."

Baur and Holtby shared glances. They didn't really need to follow that line of her story, but they wanted to be sure there would be no surprises with Lily if anything more came from their investigation. Baur looked back to her and smiled.

"Sure."

"Give me a moment. My records are in my bedroom." She said with a smile as she stood. "Oh, and feel free to take an egg roll."

Baur and Holtby smiled and nodded. Holtby wanted one, and freely took it while Lily disappeared into her room. Her smile faded the moment she was through the doors. The expression on her face was one Renard shared; simple tense exhaustion.

She opened her closet and retrieved a brilliant orange, accordion-styled folder. Without a word or second glance to Renard, she returned to the living room.

Renard had grown bored being locked away in her room, but it was necessary. If his detectives saw him there, they would rightfully assume he was coaching Lily. So, Renard had no choice but to spy on the conversation and ensure Lily used the answers he and the others discussed. Though, with her not watching him, it gave Renard the perfect chance to spy on the private woman.

Her bedroom was nice and simple like the rest of her home. She had a Queen sized bed with white and dark gray bedding. A pair of matching white end tables rested on either side of the bed with matching lamps and mirrors over them. Her room was incredibly symmetrical in those ways.

She had a dresser against the wall across the foot of the bed. It was low and long which gave her the chance to put things on top of it, but other than a vase of fresh flowers and a wooden box, there was nothing overly personal. But, it was the box that caught his attention. It was pretty, hand craved and clearly an antique. Raising a brow, Renard approached the piece and hesitated only long enough to hear the others talking about her previous arrest before opening it.

Inside were trinkets that could easily tell you everything you needed to know about her. He saw an old crumpled photo that was nearly twenty years old and looked like it had been carried everywhere. There were three people immortalized in the glossy finish. Sean recognized them as Lily's parents and herself when she looked like she was little more than ten years old. He set it aside and continued to spy.

There was a necklace with a locket on the end of the chain. The locket held a family crest for the Quinns on one side and their motto on the back. The chain was also strung through a pair of rings he assumed were her parents' wedding rings. It was a bit sad.

The things in the box were mementoes of people that were gone, of a life she didn't get to have and bits of the terrible life she did get. With a heavy sigh, Renard closed it and continued pacing through her room and waiting for the conversation to end. It wasn't long after he closed the box that she came in for the folder. He was glad he wasn't still snooping when she had.

After another ten minutes, Baur and Holtby left. When she was certain they were gone, Lily retrieved the Captain from her room.

"Thank you." Renard said as he looked at the woman who wasted no time getting back to her scans.

"Mhm." Was her only response. Renard rolled his eyes and turned to leave. "Sean," he paused near the door and stepped to the side far enough he could see her. "Never come to me for help again."

His brows twitched mildly. She was so cold and angry, he wondered if it would ever ebb. He should have let it go. He should have just left her to herself like she wanted, but he didn't. For some reason, Renard felt like he had the right to get something off his chest. It was one thing to be blamed for something he did. It was something else entirely when it had nothing to do with him.

"You know what?" he sighed with agitation. "We're going to get this shit out of the way, right now."

She cocked a brow at the man removing his trench coat. He looked like he was ready for a fight. And in truth, that's what was coming.

"You don't want to do this, Sean." She warned.

"Oh, I think I do. I'm tired of you acting like this is somehow my fault."

"It's either yours, or your mother's." she said. "What is it they say? Never trust a Hexenbiest, or her _bastard_ son?" she spat hatefully.

The air turned electric immediately.

"That's it." He growled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Eighteen years ago:

The swords clashed and clanged against one another, but only one bearing them was skilled. With little more than a flourished spin, the attacker missed its target and fell to the ground.

"Stop moving!" Lily snapped angrily as she pushed herself up.

"Stop rushing in blind." Sean replied with irritation. "You couldn't make your attack more obvious if you tried."

"Yes well, not all of us had official training, prince-ling." She growled resentfully.

Renard lifted a single brow at the comment as she took her position across from him again.

"A novice blames their circumstances." He told her simply. "A master learns from their mistakes and doesn't repeat them."

"Yes, oh wise one." She said with a sarcastic bow.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled internally at the comment.

"Again!" he called.

Like before, Lily raced for him, but this time expected him to twist out of her way. When he dodged the swipe of her sword with a lazily turn, she decided to respond differently. She dropped down, spun and brought her leg around, taking Renard's feet out from under him before he could turn and face her again. His back hit the ground hard.

His head spun momentarily from the unexpected slam. It took him a moment to realize what had happened, but he came to when he saw Lily standing over him with the tip of her sword touching his throat. She smiled wickedly down at the man.

"Point, me." She told him with a grin.

Renard smiled despite himself. He was actually a little impressed the thirteen-year-old managed to knock him down when she didn't even reach his shoulder. He pushed himself up and gathered his bearings. Taking the few steps away needed to put more space between them, he squared his frame on Lily.

"Again." He repeated.

And so it went. The two of them fought in the clearing while their parents watched from the background.

"She's a quick study." Elizabeth said as she and Michelle watched. "That's good."

"She takes after her father, in that regard." Michelle replied. "And thank you, for your hospitality."

Elizabeth nodded gently.

Their arrangement and temporary truce was a simple one. Michelle, through friends she still had, was led to Elizabeth. The Hexenbiest offered aid to the woman for two very simple reasons. One, she would be owed a favor from both the Grimm and his wife for what she was doing. And two, it amused her to annoy the royal families. After what they'd done through the years, keeping what they want from them was simply fun.

Elizabeth agreed to hide Michelle and Lily in the woods of Northern Ireland while Andrew –Lily' father- danced around Europe to draw attention away from his wife and daughter. He needed everyone to follow him while arrangements were made to get the three of them to America. He would keep attention elsewhere for awhile until returning to them and whisking them away to the land of freedom. But, it would be weeks before he did. He had to be sure everyone's attention was far away from where it needed to be and stayed there just long enough they could escape.

Renard was there simply to visit his mother, nothing more. In doing so, he was brought into what she was busy doing. He was irritated with it, but felt for the family. He'd lived through it himself.

Nearly three weeks passed while the four shared a roof. It was cramped, small and somehow that didn't seem to bother Lily. Like any little teenaged girl, she began to develop a crush on the young man who'd been helping her learn how to protect herself. And why not? He was tall, handsome and showed her kindness she hadn't experienced from anyone outside her family.

Eventually it came time for Renard to return to college which broke little Lily's heart. She had become sullen and sad with the thought of her eye candy leaving. The mothers recognized it. One thought it was adorable, the other worrisome. It was easy to decipher which thought what. But Renard was oblivious to it. He assumed she was sad because she was stuck in the forest for another week without release.

When he found her, it was in a place she'd tended to go to think. Far from the cabin and concealed within the trees was a spare pile of chopped wood. Lily had a habit of sitting on top of it to see through the underbrush and deeper into the woods. When Renard went looking for her, he always checked there first. When you spend long enough with someone, you begin to know how they think whether you mean to or not.

She heard his heavy footsteps and knew they were deliberate. He'd done it so she would know he was coming versus someone sneaking up on her. Lily barely turned to look over her slumped shoulder. Instead she kept her eyes down when he stepped to the side of the pile.

"Returning to the same spot over and over is an easy way for an enemy to find you." He told her. Most of their conversations centered around –or at least started with- tips on how she could stay alive and safe. Lily only shrugged a shoulder. He looked at the girl sitting on a pile high enough he had to look up to see her face. She avoided his eyes and continued to pout. "What's wrong?" he asked with a heavy sigh. Renard had never been one for affectionate or caring conversations.

"I don't want you to leave." She mumbled.

Renard smiled to himself at her behavior.

"Why?" he asked casually.

She fidgeted and refused to look up until she saw him step in front of her. Reluctantly, Lily looked up at him with her two-toned eyes.

"Because," she answered in the same despondent tone. She didn't know what to say, but she knew it wouldn't be the whole truth. "You're my friend."

He smiled again. It was easier for him back then. He wasn't as tainted by his family as he would become.

"You'll find more friends." He lied. Renard hoped he was wrong, but he doubted it. He knew deep down she'd be twisted by the same paranoia he was that kept him from fully trusting anyone and her life on the run would probably keep people at bay too.

"No I won't." she continued. Lily thought she was being sly, but she couldn't have made herself more obvious unless she said she had a crush on him outright. "Nobody likes me. I'm a freak."

"I like you."

"Really?"

He was saying it to be kind and because he didn't immediately want to thrash the budding teenager, but didn't realize how she took it until he saw how hopeful she looked at him. In that moment, Renard was suddenly well aware that the little girl had developed a crush and it forced him to backpedal.

"Lily," he mumbled. Renard felt incredibly uncomfortable with what he was about to have to say. A woman being attracted to him wasn't new, but she wasn't a woman. She was barely a teenager. "I'm twice your age."

Her little brows pulled together.

"So?"

Renard felt his insides jerk. He sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his short hair. He didn't really know how to proceed. He was in his mid-twenties having to deal with a little girl's crush.

"You'll understand when you're older." Was all he could think to say in the ways of an explanation.

Her eyes fell again to her hands as she continued to twiddle them nervously.

"I'm old enough." She mumbled again. Lily didn't seem to want to speak fully, instead refusing to open her mouth completely in case whatever she said was too embarrassing.

Silence moved between them. The only sounds were those of the forest, nothing more. Renard wasn't sure what to say and neither was Lily for awhile. Eventually, she spoke.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I came to find you to say goodbye."

Her brows came together again and he could tell she might start to cry. The discomfort he felt began to grow. He knew he had to end the situation quickly.

"Come here," he said. Lily looked up and noticed his offering his hand. She took it and jumped down off the woodpile with his help. Renard hugged her to his chest. He felt bad for leaving the girl behind in the first place, but with the knowledge she'd grown attached he felt a little worse. "You'll find a boy your own age."

Even he knew it was a lie. Like with the paranoia, she was –though he'd never say it out loud- a freak. At the moment she wasn't Wesen or Grimm. They didn't know what she was genetically, but they knew what she'd be viewed as. The chance of her having a normal life of any kind was slim and they both knew that too. It made him pity her a bit.

Against his better judgment, but deciding it might make her feel better, Renard decided to do something. When they parted, he lifted her back onto the woodpile. He looked up at her the few inches she was elevated and leaned forward. He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek that overlapped slightly onto her lips. It was nothing more than a family member would do and held no inappropriate undertone, but part of him felt she deserved it. They would never see each other again and there was no guarantee she'd even make it to her first kiss, so he thought he could give her something to remember that wasn't running for her life.

When he pulled away Lily's cheeks were crimson. He'd never seen such a brilliant color on someone's skin. If she was older, she'd have control over herself, but she didn't. Renard chuckled internally. With a final goodbye, he left her alone on the woodpile.

Lily was left to relive her brief first kiss until the sun faded and her mother came searching for her. She never told anyone about it. It was her little secret and always would be. Forever she would remember Sean Renard as her first 'love'.

~!~

Present Day:

Her fist slammed into his jaw and sent him reeling. Renard's head snapped back after he regained his footing. His features twitched between human and Wesen. He was on the border of losing control and he knew it. Worse yet, she seemed just as aware. Until then it had been bad, but still tamer than it could have been. But it didn't stay that way. Consumed with her own rage, Lily went for the knees.

"Zauberbiest bastard." She hissed hatefully. Feeling her icy words stab at him, Renard couldn't hold the monster inside. With a ferocious hiss, he woged. "There it is."

His jaw tightened and his fists clenched. Getting enough control of himself, Renard returned to normal. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction anymore. But, like she had with him, Renard was passed the point of caring and only wanted to hurt. So he said something he always thought was beneath him.

"Half-breed freak." He growled through clenched teeth.

Seeing red, Lily raced for Renard. The fight raged violently. It was vicious and feral. They attacked one another like wild animals, consumed with the purest rage.

"I should've found you after you betrayed my family." She yelled as she wrapped her tiny hands around Renard's throat. "They never should've trusted a royal."

Renard brought his hands up and slammed them down against Lily' elbows, breaking her hold on him. He reached for her throat instead and spun. He slammed her into the wall beside her bedroom door. Renard towered over her small frame by nearly a foot and his hand easily encompassed her throat, but he kept the pressure mild enough she could breathe. He was showing incredible restraint.

"I never betrayed your family." He snapped angrily.

"I don't believe you." She choked.

"Clearly." He said.

Shoving himself away from her, Renard released Lily. He put a decent amount of space between them because he knew the fight wasn't likely to end, but he didn't want it to continue either. He hoped the distance would somehow help calm her.

Breathing heavily, he ran his hands along his head to try and calm himself, but it didn't truly work. When he turned back around, he spotted Lily just before she swung at him again. Renard leaned back and missed the jab by a few sparse inches. He used her gathered speed to push her arm around, forcing her follow through and turn into a complete spin. Seizing his chance, he wrapped his massive arms around her and secured her back to his chest.

"Enough!" he bellowed, either ignorant of his yelling in her ear or he simply didn't care. "I'm done fighting you. How many times do I have to say it?"

Like before, he shoved her away from him. Lily spun again to keep him in front of her. She didn't like him hiding in a blind spot.

"I heard them." She said angrily.

"Heard who? What the hell are you talking about?"

"The Hundjägers!" she yelled. Lily's jaw started to quiver as she remembered the night she still had nightmares about. Renard still didn't understand completely, but he knew she was talking about the Verrat. "They bragged about how easy it was to find us. They said they'd known where we were the whole time, and that they knew about the cabin because they had someone on the inside."

"It wasn't us."

"Bullshit!" she bellowed. "No one save you and your _mother_ knew where we were."

Renard's frustration was growing. His limbs were aching for violence and he hated it. If the fight didn't end soon, he might do something else he would regret and she'd suffer for it.

"You're insane." He said, pointing a stern finger at her. "And you need to stop this before you get hurt."

"If it wasn't you, then who?" she demanded, knowing he'd have no answer. "Who else knew about the cabin? Who knew where we were hiding?"

"I don't know! I was gone by the time you left!"

Silence moved between them again. For the moment, the fighting was over and the rage-filled-hateful words had stopped. But both still ached for more. Their adrenaline was coursing and they wanted to get rid of the energy.

"Get out." She finally said.

Renard, who'd had his back to her for awhile -but was still able to see her reflection in the wall length windows- turned to see her staring coldly at him. At some point, tears had gathered in her eyes. They weren't solely from pain, but aggravation as well.

Frustrated himself, Renard angrily trudged towards the door. He grabbed his jacket en route and slammed her door behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Lily had been suffering from headaches since seeing Renard. Something about the intense fury she felt for him made her body react almost as violently as she had. Everything hurt, actually, and nothing she took would help. While mild pains were nothing new, these were different. They didn't feel like 'surface' pains, like a sore muscle or something along those lines. Instead, they were deep hurts, like she could feel them in her bones. And they all started in her temples before vibrating through the rest of her body. For the first day or two she could sequester herself away and lie down to handle them, but by the third and fourth they began to interfere with her job. Having no other choice, Lily returned to an old remedy her mother used to use.

The bell above the door in the shop chimed and it hurt just as much as a sonic boom. Lily winced and groaned as the pain throbbed through her body before proceeding into the store.

"Coming!" she heard Rosalee call from the back. Even though it wasn't that loud, it was as painful as the door bell. A moment later, Rosalee emerged to see the young woman hiding behind a large pair of sunglasses and holding the sides of her head. "Lily?" she glanced up to see the confused shop keep. When their gazes met, Lily saw apprehensive recognition. "What uh… what can I help you with?" she asked as she set her book down. "Everything okay?"

"Define okay?" she whispered under her breath. Lily took slow, measured steps forward because even the vibrations from a step had grown to hurt in the passed day or so. Rosalee noticed her odd saunter. "I need some herbs, if you could."

"Sure." Rosalee nodded slowly. She reached for her notepad so she could write down the order. "Do you know what you need?"

Lily nodded heavily, but didn't speak until she reached the counter. Planting her palms against the worn surface, she let her head drop.

"I need a bit of Butterbar, some Feverfew, a few sprigs of Valerian Root, Evodia, and a bit of Betony if you would."

Rosalee wrote down the herbs, but kept her eyes on Lily. She could see the woman was in obvious pain and the herbs she needed simply gave her further confirmation.

"Hung over?" she asked.

Lily shook her head heavily.

"Migraines." She sighed softly. "And they've been getting worse. Now, they seem to be infecting everything down to my toes." Lily's head dipped slightly so she could bring it back up and look again to Rosalee. "My mother used to give me these whenever this would happen."

"You've had this happen before?" Rosalee asked curiously. She'd been doing this long enough to know the herbs being asked for would make a potent cocktail if mixed together. "Maybe you should go to the doctor?"

"Conventional medicine doesn't seem to affect me as well. But no worries, as I said, this isn't completely new."

Rosalee nodded heavily, but felt the desire to help Lily. She didn't know if it was to return the favor with Nick or because Lily seemed to honestly need it, but whatever the reason she thought she could do better than giving the young woman a dozen different things to take.

"Why don't you go ahead and tell me what's wrong and I'll see if I can't… consolidate your order a bit."

"Uh, sure. All right." She breathed. "Migraines. They start as migraines and then slowly spread to everywhere else. It feels a bit like uh…" she hesitated. "It's a bit hard to explain, actually."

"Is it a throbbing, burning, general ache?" Rosalee offered.

"Throbbing. Most definitely a throbbing and then simply turns to a general aching."

"Does this happen often?"

"Not really. It did for a bit when I was a child, but it's probably been a few years since I've felt it. It recently began again a few days ago."

"Did anything change?"

Lily laughed breathily and answered before she could stop herself. If she wasn't so tired and full of pain, she would have realized she was revealing more of herself than she normally would have.

"I tried to kill Sean." She said with a heavy smile.

Rosalee's eyes went a bit wide. She was surprised Lily so freely admitted trying to kill the Captain.

"But, I thought the two of you were friends?"

Lily scoffed.

"Once upon a time, perhaps, but it never takes long for a Biest to reveal themselves as the two-faced creatures they are." She said tersely. Lily, while unable to shut herself up completely, suddenly thought of something else. She looked at Rosalee through her thick black sunglasses. "How is your friend Nick?"

"Good." Rosalee replied. She was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "He's much better now. And thank you, for your help."

Lily waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't mention it. I'm glad I could've helped."

"Because he's another Grimm?" Rosalee didn't know what possessed her to keep asking questions, but she couldn't stop. She figured she'd ask so long as Lily offered answers.

"Because it was the right thing to do, and I have no love for the royals or their plots."

"I…" Rosalee hesitated with what she was about to say. She knew it could go so badly because she was overstepping with a complete stranger. "I heard about your parents." Lily immediately tensed and 'sobered' quickly. "And I'm sorry. What happened to you guys wasn't right."

"Thank you." She said under her breath. "So, about my order?"

"Right." Rosalee nodded. That was the end of the questioning and she knew it, so she happily changed subjects. "I think I can find something to work for those symptoms. How about I give you a little Valerian Root for now, and you come back tomorrow? I should have something cooked up by then."

Lily nodded though why she didn't know. With a kind smile, Rosalee walked to the large bookcase filled with herbs and brought down the jar holding the root. She returned to the counter and set it down so she could retrieve a paper bag to put them in. When she had three within the bag, she handed it to Lily.

"What do I owe you?"

"Nothing." Rosalee replied. She saw Lily raise a brow. "The Valerian is on the house, but you'll be paying for the tonic."

Lily laughed lightly at Rosalee's comment and nodded.

"Thank you." She said. Rosalee nodded. "And, I feel foolish for asking this now but, what's your name?"

"Oh," Rosalee laughed softly. "Rosalee Calvert."

"Calvert," Lily repeated. "That name sounds familiar."

"This was my brother Freddy's shop. Maybe you knew him."

Lily began to shake her head. She pressed her memory to try and find why the name Calvert sounded so familiar until it finally donned on her. It hit her hard too.

Lily took sudden wide steps away from Rosalee. The young woman behind the counter eyed her skeptically. There was something wrong.

"Calvert… you're one of the families that deal with the Council."

Rosalee's eyes went wide. That was all the confirmation Lily needed.

"Oh god…" she backed up the rest of the way and ran into the case behind her in the process.

"It's okay!" Rosalee said quickly. "It's okay. I'm not going to tell them you're here." Lily didn't seem to relax. "I promise, I'm not going to tell the Council anything about you."

"Why?" she snapped.

"Because," Rosalee sighed softly. "I might not agree with what your parents did, but I _definitely_ don't agree with how everyone reacted. And I'm not going to turn you in to the Council when you're only crime was being born." Rosalee could see Lily's jaw tighten and relax repeatedly like she was chewing on the inside of her cheek. She wasn't sure if she calmed the young woman down or not, but hoped she had. "I'll have a tonic ready for you by tomorrow."

Lily continued to eye the Apothecary before deciding she wanted to leave. She didn't know if she'd return the following day or not, but she knew she wanted out of there. When she was gone, Rosalee's elbows fell to the countertop and she buried her face in her hands. She groaned just as Monroe came in through the front door.

"Everything alright?" he asked with slight worry.

Rosalee looked up but continued to lean on her elbows.

"Lily just came into the shop." She said. Monroe didn't understand who she meant for a moment, but soon his mouth parted into a wide O shape. "Yeah."

"What'd she want?" he asked curiously.

"Just some herbs. She's been having so really bad headaches, so she came in to get some herbs for them, but I think I scared her."

"How?"

"She recognized my last name as one of the ones that talks to the Council."

"How the hell did she know that?"

"I don't know, but if I were her, I'd be sure to know everything about everything too." She said. "Monroe, she looked really scared when she recognized my name."

His brows came together slightly.

"Really?"

Rosalee nodded.

"Like scared enough to do something about it?" he asked, glancing again out the front window to see if an angry Grimm was going to come bursting through the door.

"No, like scared enough she might leave town in the middle of the night."

"Huh… that's weird, right? I mean, she's a Grimm."

"Yeah, but can you blame her? She's been hunted since she was born."

"I guess." He muttered.

Monroe trusted Lily about as much as the others, but he hadn't been given a peek like Rosalie had. Rosalee got to see just a bit behind the curtain of uncaring and disinterest that Lily surrounded herself in all the time.

~!~

Rosalee and Juliette sat in the side room of the shop drinking tea and talking about the upcoming holidays. Rosalee needed a 'shoulder to cry on' when it came to her feelings for the joyous holiday and Juliette seemed more than willing to do so.

The sign on the Shop was flipped to say _Closed_, but that didn't stop there from being a knock. A bit confused, but expecting some people to pick up things, Rosalee excused herself to answer it. When she raised the shades, she was surprised to see a reluctantly Lily standing in the doorway. She quickly opened the door.

"Lily, hi." She greeted. Juliette heard and stood to slowly join the conversation. "How can I help you?"

"You said you'd have some tonic ready today." She answered apprehensively.

"Right, yes." Rosalee nodded as she stepped aside and opened the door winder. "Come in."

Lily stepped into the store but kept a skeptical eye on Rosalee. She understood the sentiment behind it, but was surprised by it too. It seemed odd to have a Grimm staring at her like she was the dangerous one. When Lily's eyes suddenly darted away, Rosalee realized Juliette must have made herself known.

"Hello." She greeted simply.

"Hello." Lily replied in the same emotionless tone.

Having learned what they did about her, neither Juliette nor Rosalee was sure how to act around the young woman.

"My order?" she asked Rosalee.

"Right."

Rosalee moved back into the side room where she and Juliette had been sitting to gather what she brewed the day before. It left Juliette and Lily alone briefly. Neither spoke or made eye contact for awhile.

"Thank you." Juliette finally said, drawing Lily's eye. "For helping with the outbreak."

"Of course." Lily nodded. "Your friend has quite the swing. He broke three ribs."

"Yeah," Juliette let out a nervous laugh and touched the side of her jaw. "I know what you mean."

Lily shared the same weak, uncertain smile. Rosalee soon emerged with a small bottle of green liquid. She showed it to Lily, but continued on to the register instead of handing it over.

"Now, this is a concentrated dose of a few different herbs." She said as she stepped around the counter. She set the vile down. "You'll only need a little bit."

"Dosage?" Lily asked as she examined the liquid.

"Just add two drops to a cup of tea."

"That's it?"

"That's it." Rosalee smiled. "That should last you awhile and let me know if it's not strong enough. I can always tweak the formula if I have to."

"Can't I simply add more drops?"

"I wouldn't." Rosalee said with a wince. "There might be… side-effects."

"Ah." Lily found herself setting the vile back down gingerly as though it would erupt in flame. "How much do I owe you?"

Rosalee began her calculations which gave Juliette a chance to step forward and ask something she'd been wanting to since the ordeal. After hearing about the mysterious Lily through second-hand stories, she wanted to go to the source.

"Lily," she said, drawing the young woman's attention. "Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose." She answered apprehensively.

"Are you really a Grimm like Nick?"

"That's what they tell me."

"You mean you don't know?"

"The reviews have been mixed." She joked lightly, despite there being a lot of truth to it.

"Well… can't you test it, or something?"

"Not really."

Juliette looked to Rosalee. It was her silently asking if Rosalee would check for them. The young woman seemed reluctant, but had to admit she was a bit curious herself, especially after Monroe said 'something was wrong' with Lily.

"May I?" Rosalee asked. She wasn't sure why she asked permission to woge, but assumed it was so Lily wouldn't be surprised when she turned back around.

Lily shrugged uncertainly. She was just as confused as Rosalee about the question. With a deep breath, Rosalee woged. The moment she had, she gasped and took such a wide step back she hit the shelves. A few bottles rattled from the force and her Fuchsbau exterior faded immediately. Both Lily and Juliette stared at her in surprise.

"So… a Grimm." Juliette said after Rosalee's odd reaction.

"I'm… I'm sorry, uh…" Rosalee was clearly flustered. "It's just… your eyes." Lily's brows came together curiously. She obviously didn't understand, so Rosalee assumed she should explain. "They're not just black. They're uh… your irises, they turn this brilliant gold. It was a little surprising."

"Is that not normal?" she asked apprehensively.

"No." Rosalee replied with a soft breath. She cleared her throat and adjusted her sweater to look more casual and calm than she felt. "No, it's not."

The room was silent. No one was entirely certain what to say because Rosalee's reaction had been so sudden and neither Juliette nor Lily knew what Grimms looked like anyway. Of the three, Rosalee was the only one, so they had to trust she knew the difference.

Feeling the conversation and pleasantries coming to an end, Lily reached into her satchel and pulled out her wallet. Seeing her ready to pay, Rosalee wrote out a receipt. With a nervous smile, she exchanged her piece of paper with Lily and said a kind farewell. Lily did the same to both of them, told Juliette she was glad Nick was alright, and left. When she had, Rosalee let out a relieved sigh.

"Was it really that scary?" she asked her friend.

"I've never seen anything like that before." She said. "The gold actually glowed."

"You think that has something to do with her having a Wesen parent?"

"Maybe. I don't know." She said. "But Monroe was right. There was something wrong with her."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

As she'd been instructed to, Lily added two drops of the green liquid to a cup of tea and drank it. She sank into the couch when she had and waited for the tonic to take over. In her darkened apartment, Lily had been forced to live a bit like a hermit. No noises, no lights, no movement were the only things that kept the headaches from racing. But, after a few short minutes, she felt the ache begin to disappear. Even though a fraction of it had dissipated, it was a great deal better than before and forced a smile to touch her lips.

She didn't know why the herbal supplements were the only things that helped her, but she was grateful there was something. Pharmaceuticals never did much for some reason. Perhaps it was because she was only a small fraction of human. At least, that's what she always thought.

When the aching had finally ebbed, Lily returned to what had been keeping her busy for a few days. She retrieved her laptop and the external hard drive with everything she wouldn't want normal people to see.

A long time ago Lily decided scrolling through book after book after book to find what she needed was perhaps one of the most inefficient ways to go about her life. When technology became more affordable, she was able to do something that would make her ancestors roll in their graves, she made everything electronic. With a personal hand-held scanner, a terabyte external hard-drive and a decent amount of patience, Lily was able to streamline everything. Another reason –aside from practicality- was the books themselves. Some of them were centuries upon centuries old and showed their age. Unlike Nick, her family didn't have a trailer or somewhere else to keep the heirlooms safe. Instead, they were shoved into boxes and crates along with the weapons and toted around from country to country, state to state. It took its toll. So, the scanner and laptop came into play. This way, she could have all of her information and lock the books away to keep them safe in a single location.

She had the information separated into specific categories. When the _Wesen_ folder was opened, you were confronted with more folders labeled by species. There was _Canine_ which held things like Blutbad, Hundjäger, Fuchsbau and others. She had a _Reptilian_ for the Dämonfeuer, Skalengek and the like. There was a _Feline_ folder, _Avian, Amphibian, Rodent, Insect, Parasitic_ and even an _Other_ for the ones that weren't really any of those. It was efficient and incredibly helpful. Besides, it helped brush up her memory on Wesen, anyway.

After scanning everything, she'd been dividing them into their respective folders in condensed files so once she saw something, it was easier to sift through and find the picture of the one she'd seen. Lily liked her books, she really did, but the laptop was better. Although, that didn't mean she didn't have one of her own.

A long time ago, Lily purchased a leather-bound book and filled it with drawings and descriptions of the things she herself had come across. It was her own ledger, a log of those she'd come in contact with. People didn't realize that even Wesen evolved. What used to hide in a ditch or cave might now dwell in a sewer or a doomsday bunker. Things that would sing to entice or trap their pray might have a YouTube channel with a huge audience. As the times changed, so did hunting patterns, so she wrote them all down in the meantime.

Lily spent hours dividing the scans up into their folders. Most would have hated the tedious work, but she found it mildly relaxing and it gave her the chance to brush up on her Wesen.

Eventually, her body became stiff from remaining stationary for so long. She decided to go for a walk downtown to try and relax her muscles. It would be the first good walk she'd had since the headaches began because she hadn't been able to move without pain. Now, with the tonic, she felt damn near energized.

~!~

The sun was beginning to set and the night air surrounded her. It was refreshing. Honestly, if the tonic worked this well every time she used it, Lily might have to buy Rosalee a fruit basket or something else along those lines to give her thanks.

As she looked into the windows of the little shops that lined the street, Lily's phone began to ring. She reached for it and answered it without bothering to look at the number.

"Hello?" she greeted without a care.

"_Lily,"_ a familiar deep voice replied.

Lily's jaw clenched and she fought the urge to hang up immediately.

"What do you want?" she sighed with irritation.

"_You need to come by the station."_ Renard told her simply.

"Or I could not." She countered.

"_I have something to give you and I'm not going to your apartment to do it."_

"Afraid I'll finish what we started the other day?"

She could practically feel the looks he was giving through the phone.

"_Just be here within the hour."_ He said as he avoided her question entirely. "_It will be worth it, believe me."_

And with that he ended the call. Lily stared at her cell phone, wondering if she'd just had the conversation with him that she had. Cryptic wasn't anything new when it came to Renard, but just because she expected it didn't mean she liked it. Still, she was mildly curious. And she knew why he chose the police station. There were witnesses there and a cell to lock her in again if she hit him.

Against her better judgment, Lily found her way to the station. As she walked through the door to the main bull-pen, Lily spotted two men she found familiar. Both Nick and Hank noticed her too, though only one had ever had a conversation with her.

"Hello again." She greeted, trying to be polite to the two men she had to walk passed to reach the Captain. Nick nodded his greeting while Hank gave her a halfhearted wave. Before she could stop herself, Lily said something else that was more confusing to the other Grimm than anything thus far. "It's good to see you're doing well."

Nick's eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. It was clear he was confused.

"Have we met before?" he asked when he found his bearings.

Lily forced a smile and shook her head.

"No." she replied. Movement behind the Detectives caught her attention. Renard was waving her into his office. She glanced back to the two men nearest her. "Gentlemen," she said with a parting nod.

They watched her walk off and into the Captain's office where she took a seat to speak with him. Nick looked to Hank.

"Do we know her?"

"Kind of." He said apprehensively. "She was there during the zombie thing. She helped get you… in the barn."

Nick's brows rose high on his forehead. He shot Lily another glance and realized he recognized her, but not from that.

"Isn't that the woman who hit the Captain a week or so ago?"

Hank thought about it for a moment before agreeing with his partner. For some reason –though it really wasn't a mystery as to why considering what they were dealing with- Hank hadn't thought about it during the outbreak. Now that Nick pointed it out, he realized she was the young woman who punched Renard right in the middle of the precinct.

Inside the office, Renard motioned for Lily to sit in one of his chairs and she did. She didn't look happy about the visit, but he didn't expect her to.

"Why am I here, Sean?" she asked with a sigh.

"I've been out of the country for the passed few days." He said.

"I hadn't noticed." She quipped under her breath. He ignored her comment.

"And I managed to acquire something you may find interesting." He finished. Renard reached for a piece of paper and a pen. He began to scribble something down. "It was difficult to get it into the country, but I think you'll like it."

She stared at him doubtfully. Renard didn't notice until he offered her the slip of paper. They stared at one another for a moment or two in silence before Renard sighed heavily and dropped his arm onto his desk.

"Take the piece of paper." He told her simply.

Still keeping narrowed eyes on him, Lily took what he offered. He'd written down an address to a storage until and the unit number.

"What is this?"

He took a long, deep breath and slowly exhaled it while he continued to stare at her.

"A peace offering." He admitted heavily. Lily cocked a single brow. He could see the skepticism deepening. "You and I could both benefit while you're here in Portland, but in order to do that, we need to build some kind of relationship."

At the word _relationship_ Lily scoffed and let a sarcastic smirk cross her lips. He wasn't surprised, but did want to smack the grin from her lips. He contained himself, however.

"Go to that address, and you'll understand." He said.

"Is it an ambush?"

"No."

"I don't trust you."

"I'm aware." He conceded. "If you like, I can go with you."

The way he said it made her glare. He said it like she needed protection, like she was scared otherwise and it irritated her.

"Goodbye, Sean." She said.

Lily wasn't willing to remain and listen to him or his teasing, so she stood to leave. Renard mused to himself, but remained in his seat while she opened his door and left.

"No!" someone hollered at another cop. "I want to press charges now!"

The man was berating the poor cop and made Lily feel bad for him, but not so much she stayed. Still, he continued to rant.

"That bitch took pictures!"

Lily hesitated near the door. She didn't know what possessed her to, but she felt herself turn. From her new angle, she could see the man in profile. He looked mildly familiar.

"Arrest her!" he continued. "What are you looking at?!" he snapped at another arrestee. He stood and noticed almost everyone in the precinct was looking at him, including Lily. His face immediately darkened. "_You!"_ he growled.

Lily smiled. "Hello Mr. Thompson." She greeted carelessly. "How's the wife?"

He roared his anger loudly. Mr. Thompson was the man who Lily made her last paycheck off of. He was the one who had her arrested for trespassing and the one who had apparently been let in on the real reason she was on his property.

The instant she taunted him, his rage overtook the human aspect of him. Fur suddenly sprouted from his face, whiskers, claws and fangs appeared.

"Wonderful," she sighed to herself. Mr. Thompson, was a Klaustreich. Basically, he was a temperamental, territorial, alley cat-like Wesen.

"Grimm." He growled.

She gave him a curt, sarcastic smile in response. Nick thought he was the one outted until he realized Thompson was staring at Lily. Before he could react, Thompson charged for the young woman. Police tried to mobilize before he reached her, but they didn't get the chance, nor were they needed. When he was close enough, Lily brought her right leg up and smashed it into Thompson's chest. She kicked him the same as a cop or anyone would kick a locked door to open it.

There was a chorus of _oh's _that echoed in the room as he stumbled back and hit the ground unconscious. Lily hadn't moved and looked as though the outburst was to be expected. It made the others curious too, not just the cops.

Renard emerged from his office and came up behind Lily while other officers handcuffed the man on the ground. She felt him behind her shoulder, but didn't bother turning.

"Friend of yours?" he asked casually as they both stared at the man on the ugly tile floor.

"His wife hired me to take pictures of him shagging his secretary." She answered in the same tone. "Evidently she's filed for divorce."

"Hm." He said with a light, understanding nod. With his hands in the pockets, he continued to stare indifferently at the scene. "If we have any questions, we'll call you."

"Yup." She muttered before walking out of the precinct as though nothing had happened.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Lily debated on whether or not she should go to the storage unit for awhile. She didn't trust Renard, not in any significant way at least, and it made her more than a little skeptical when he handed her an address. Eventually, however, she found her way there.

She sat in her car for a decent amount of time, watching the complex and making sure there was nothing odd going on. She was armed, but knew that would only help her so much in the end. If someone was waiting for her, she only hoped she could spot them before they found her. Still, for reasons even she wasn't aware, Lily exited the car and headed inside.

The unit was an indoor/outdoor setup. Some units stretched along the property in long strips with an enclosed hall so you could go through your unit without being exposed to the elements. Others were two or three storied buildings with the same setup. It took some navigating at first, but Lily was eventually able to find her unit. It was nestled on the top floor of the building the furthest away from the roads and front office. She held the knife at her side tighter than before.

Her steps echoed off the metal walls. She kept them as silent as possible, but it was a bit like a parking garage. The surfaces surrounding her could only conduct sound, not stifle it. Lily kept her ears trained on her surroundings as she walked through the winding halls. Following the signs posted to the walls, she finally found the unit itself.

_3224_ was painted in black lettering beside the bright orange, sheet metal door. Lily pressed her ear to the door and listened. She couldn't hear anything at first. She wasn't sure if it was a good or bad sign.

The lock was clasped shut which told her it was unlikely someone was inside, but not impossible. She was mildly irritated Renard hadn't given her a key, but she assumed he knew she wouldn't really need one. Still, it would have been helpful. Removing her lock-pick set from her satchel, Lily had the lock undone within a minute or two. As quietly as she could, she removed the lock. With a deep breath –readying herself for the firing squad that could be on the other side- she threw the rolling door up and open.

Nothing. There was nothing. Nothing charged her. No one shot her. Nothing.

Curious, she stepped deeper into the large empty unit. A light switch at her side caught her attention. She didn't hesitate to flip it on. The room was filled with light revealing something waiting for her in the middle of the unit. A coffin was displayed in front of her, sitting in the middle of the room on the floor. She cocked a skeptical brow. Was it meant to be a warning? What the hell was the coffin supposed to mean?

As she approached it, Lily noticed a folded piece of paper resting on top of its deep brown, shining surface. She reached for it and opened it. The note was scribbled in Renard's awful handwriting.

_The answers you've been looking for._

Her brows pulled together tightly. Tossing the note aside, Lily lifted the coffin's lid apprehensively. She was so stunned by what lay within that she gasped and dropped the lid. When she gathered herself again, she opened the lid once more and pushed it up so it wouldn't come back down when she let go.

A man was lying within the coffin. He was older with white hair and a beard. His clothes were simple and she knew she didn't recognize him. She had no idea who the man was or why he was… he was breathing. He was alive.

As she examined him further, Lily noticed something stuck into the back of his hand, but hidden beneath the second half of the lid. Just as she had with the first, she lifted it to reveal what had been jabbed into the man's hand. Two clear IV bags filled with clear liquid rested in the coffin beside the old man, feeding their contents into his body through the needles and tubes in his hand. Carefully, she lifted the bags to read their contents. One was a sedative, the other nutrients to keep him fed.

"Bloody hell…" she whispered to herself.

Unsure of what she was meant to do, Lily slammed the lids closed and left after locking the unit securely. What the hell did Renard expect her to do with a man in a coffin? Who was he? And how was this meant to help her?

Shaking the discomfort from her shoulders, Lily made an internal note to tell Renard she had no intention of doing his dirty work. Damn royals… sick, all of them.

~!~

By the time she could calm down enough to think straight, the sun had long since set. Lily was on her way to confront the man who gave her the box.

A loud procession of knocks echoed throughout his apartment. Renard grabbed a shirt in passing and threaded his arms through it before leaving his bedroom. He'd been in the process of dressing after getting out of the shower and wasn't going to answer the door in pajama pants alone. So, after throwing on a shirt and grabbing his gun, he looked through his peephole and saw someone he was surprised to see. He opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the irate young woman. She said nothing at first, only glared at him. He knew what she wanted, he just wasn't certain he wanted to give it to her. Then again, there was nothing to stop her from yelling at him while she stood in the hall. "Come in." he said reluctantly.

She glided passed him without reservation and didn't stop until she was in the middle of his living room.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she demanded. Renard did little more than raise a single brow and stow his gun.

"How did you find out where I live?" he asked without bothering to answer her question.

"Seriously?" she said as she rolled her eyes. "It was easier than you finding me."

"I have a doorman, and a badge."

"I have charm." She shot back.

"None that I've seen." He sighed. "Why are you here?"

"A man in a box." She told him flatly. "The hell am I meant to do with a man in a box, Sean?"

"I thought you'd be pleased."

"For being an accessory to kidnapping? Really?" she didn't hide her sarcasm. "In what world would that be-"

"He has information about your parents." He interrupted.

Lily went silent and eerily still. She stared at him without emotion as her brain struggled to catch up with the simple sentence he spoke.

"What?" the word barely escaped her lips.

"His name is Albert Weis." Renard continued as though she wasn't nearly catatonic. "And he has information about the people responsible for betraying your family."

Her mouth parted as though she was going to speak, but nothing came out. He could almost see her brain trying to catch up.

"How's this possible?" she finally got out.

"Give me more credit than that." He replied smugly.

She glared halfheartedly at him for the comment, but he didn't mind. He was honestly a bit proud she was so dumbstruck.

"How do I know he's not just some man who managed to piss you off, so you had stuffed in a casket just to somehow calm me down?"

It was an elaborate question, but he expected it. He never thought she'd accept the 'gift' without a healthy dose of skepticism and possible paranoia.

"You don't until you ask him."

"And I'm meant to trust whatever he says?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm so he'd realize how stupid he sounded to her.

"That's not my concern." He said simply. "I don't care what you do to him, or how you get your information. I don't even care if you leave him in there to die, I'm just telling you what I found out." He said. Renard took a few steps back and to his door. He opened it. "Goodnight, Lily."

Still unsure of what she was meant to think or do, Lily stepped passed the Captain and left. He sighed to himself and shook his head.

~!~

Lily sat in the darkened room with the man who'd once rested in the coffin. She waited patiently for him to rouse and eventually he did.

Groaning and rolling his head from side to side, the old man began to wake. What met his eyes when they opened was jarring. He was in a dark room lit only by a single bulb dangling from the roof. The floor was concrete, but covered with a large slip of clear plastic. He was strapped to a chair, tied at the ankles and wrists and even his chest. There was nothing in the cave-like room, nothing, but a young woman sitting across from him.

"Vat is this?" he asked in a thick German accent.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?" she asked in a low, even voice.

"Who are you?! Where am I?!" he demanded.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?" Lily repeated.

"I do not know these people!" he bellowed. "Help! Anyone, help!"

Lily shot out of her chair and hit him. Her hand raked across his cheek, stunning the old man into silence. The slap made his face burn and his eyes water. When he looked forward again, he watched as Lily slowly regained her seat as though she'd never risen.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

Her voice remained even and calm along with her expression despite how much her insides raged.

"Please," the old man began to whimper. "Please release me. I am a simple shop keep, a bookstore, I don't know these people."

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

It was the only thing she said because it was the only thing she cared about.

His jaw tensed and he chewed briefly on the inside of his cheek. She could see him trying to think of something –anything- he could do to escape. When a few minutes passed and he hadn't offered her an answer, Lily repeated her question. She repeated it more times than she could count and still he wouldn't give her an answer. Eventually, he began to wither. The constant repetition was drawing on his nerves like she knew it would. All she had was time when it came to what she sought.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

"Why do you care?" he growled. "They are dead, and good riddance."

"Who collected the bounty on-"

"Enough!" he bellowed. "I can't stand it anymore!"

When his voice finished echoing and he fell silent, Lily spoke again.

"Who collected the bounty-"

The old man roared loudly again and suddenly woged. Lily did little more than raise a brow at the man struggling against his bonds. He looked up at her, hissing and spitting, until he realized what she was.

"Eine Grimm." He muttered in horror.

She took a deep breath and sighed. With little else to do for the moment, she stood. He wiggled away from her as she approached. He couldn't get away and she knew it. Reaching into her back pocket, Lily retrieved a syringe. She bit the orange cap to remove it and leaned forward. Weis continued to struggle, but he couldn't escape the sharp jab that embedded the needle into his neck.

As the liquid surged through his body he began to go limp and finally fell asleep. Lily had left the needles in his hand and didn't hesitate to reconnect the IV bag filled with the sedative. She didn't know when she'd be back and didn't want someone stumbling across him in the meantime.

Sure he was out, she turned and left. Now that she knew what she was dealing with, Lily knew what she needed.

~!~

"Lily, hi." Rosal**e**e greeted as the young woman entered the Spice Shop. She sported a kind, but slightly nervous smile which Lily expected.

"Hello again." She replied in return.

"What can I help you with? Is the tonic not working?"

"No," she said kindly as she met the young woman at the counter. "It works brilliantly, actually, but I'm here about something else."

"Okay, what do you need?"

"I need some form of truth serum."

Rosalee eyed the woman curiously. It was an odd request and one she hadn't been given before.

"Uh, okay… Can I ask why?"

"It's a bit personal, actually." Lily admitted.

"Well, there are a few things I need to know." She said. "Like what it's for. Uh… human, for example."

"Blutbad." She said simply.

"Oh," Rosalee chimed with a hint of surprise. "Okay, uh…"

Before she could continue with her questions, Monroe, Nick and Hank emerged from the side room. Lily –in her haste to get what she wanted- didn't notice the trio was even in the building. She began to fidget uncomfortably, especially when Nick took special notice of her.

"Ms. Quinn, isn't it?" he asked as he moved a bit closer.

"It is, Detective, yes." She answered. She tried to be polite, but simply wanted her order as quickly as possible.

"So," he glanced to the others briefly before saying something that could easily go the wrong way. "What'd you do to piss off a Klaustreich?"

To his surprise, she answered without hesitation.

"Took pictures of him cheating on his wife." She answered simply. "I don't wish to press charges, by the way. No harm done."

Nick stared at her with mild surprise, both for her statement and also because she didn't bat an eyelash at his knowing what Thompson was. He didn't realize that everyone in the Shop knew her an iota better than he did.

"He attacked you in the middle of a police station." Nick said simply. "He's getting charged regardless."

She shrugged simply.

"You fought a Klaustreich in the police station?" Monroe asked in surprise.

"She kicked him in the chest." Hank said.

"Broke his nose too." Nick added. "When his face bounced off the floor."

Monroe couldn't fight the odd laugh that escaped his lips. He could almost picture it and it made him chuckle.

"So," Nick began again. He didn't know why he kept speaking to her, but his curiosity was winning out. Sensing he wasn't finished, Lily turned to give him her full attention which had previously been divided between the Detective and Rosalie. "Are you really a Grimm?" He figured being blunt was the best option.

"Yes." She answered without hesitation.

He was surprised she answered so freely considering their company, but all it did was make him realize what had transpired when he was infected.

"Well," he paused briefly. "Was it your mom or your dad?"

Lily's brows rose softly as she stared at the curious Detective. She wondered if he realized how many questions he was asking or that it might be considered prying.

"Sorry, it's just… I've never met another Grimm before. You know, other than family." He admitted. "But you don't seem as curious as me."

"You're not my first." She said.

"How many have you met?"

"A handful."

"Are there a lot of us out there?"

"A few." She replied. "Not a great number, but a few."

"Well, when did you find out what you were?"

Lily continued to look at him oddly, but a smile began to form. He was acting like a child given the chance to ask a superhero or someone they admired as many questions as they could think of. Though Nick obviously didn't consider her either of those things, it was obvious he'd never met another Grimm and only wanted to know as much as possible.

Her expression made him realize what he was doing again.

"Sorry." He muttered.

She laughed slightly and shook her head. It was almost endearing.

"I like you better like this," she smiled as she motioned to him as a whole. "Without the blood-shot eyes and Berserker strength."

Nick fidgeted on his feet.

"Yeah. I heard you were there. Sorry about that."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"Nothing that didn't heal." She said before adding something that surprised even herself to admit to a stranger. "And my father, to answer your question." Lily looked again to Rosalee. "The serum?"

"Right." She said when spoken to. Rosalee –along with the others- seemed oddly content to watch Nick and Lily speak to each other for however long it lasted. But, Lily had other things to do. "I think there's something like that in one of these books." She left her spot behind the counter and went to the books she had on a shelf. She read the spines briefly before finding the one she needed. She already had her nose in the book before returning to the counter. "Here it is, _Serum Exomologesis_. It should work for what you need."

"How long will it take to produce?"

"Hm," she muttered as she read on. "If we have the supplies, roughly a half hour or so. I can have it for you by then."

"Wonderful, thank you."

"Truth serum?" Nick asked. He felt his Detective habits being to emerge. Lily eyed him skeptically. "I recognized the name." he explained simply. "Who's it for?"

"It's personal, I'm afraid." She answered.

"Well, do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

Lily didn't respond. She only stared at the young man who seemed intent on interrogating her. Nick realized how his question may have appeared.

"Not about that." He replied. "I mean about the other stuff, about being a Grimm." She seemed mildly surprised. She hesitated again. "Let me buy you a cup of coffee, say thanks for saving my life and it can give you something to do while Rosalee mixes your serum." She still wasn't sure what to say so he decided to add something else to it. "Hank will be there too in case you're worried about anything." He said with a light smile.

She didn't know what possessed her to agree, but she eventually did and together the three of them left the Spice Shop and walked the few buildings over to the nearest coffee shop.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Lily sipped her drink. She eyed both Hank and Nick who seemed as nervous and uncomfortable as she did. It was simply an odd situation they found themselves in.

"So uh," Nick began. While he'd been berating her with questions in the shop, he found it difficult to find any now. He didn't understand why. "How long have you known?"

"About what?" she asked.

"About," Nick glanced around briefly. "Wesen."

"All my life." She said simply.

"So you were raised knowing about them and what you are?" he asked curiously.

"I had a very… unconventional upbringing, I suppose you could say."

"How long have you been a Grimm?"

"Since I was thirteen."

"Really?" he couldn't hide his surprise.

"How long have you been one?" she asked as she took another sip.

"About… two years, I guess." He replied. "But I didn't know about this stuff until I started seeing it."

"I'm sure that was a bit of a shock." She mused lightly. "A bit like losing your mind, I'd imagine."

"Yeah." He laughed weakly.

"And you, Detective Griffin, are you…"

"No," he shook his head. "No, just normal, I guess, but I know about this stuff too."

"And you're adjusting?"

"Everyday." He meant it as a small joke, but it held a lot of truth too. "So, how do you know the Captain?"

"We met when I was a child." She said. "My mother and I went to his for help, and he happened to be there."

"You've met his mother?" Nick asked with surprise. She nodded. "What was that like?"

"Interesting."

"I bet. I can't imagine a Hexenbiest being overly welcoming."

Her face dropped. She looked from Nick to Hank and back again with shock dominating her features.

"Yeah, we know what he is." Hank replied. "A royal Hexenbiest, or half… at least."

"Oh," she said. The word came out an octave or so higher than normal. "Well… there's that for you."

"Did you know that when you met him?" Nick asked.

"Of course." She nodded before looking to Hank. "And it's a Zauberbiest. Men are Zauber, women are Hexen."

"Huh…" he muttered.

"Do you have books, too?" Nick found himself asking. He wasn't sure where the question came from, only that it came out before he could pull it back.

"Of course. Every family does." She said. "At least those who wish to survive."

"And how are you okay with Wesen?" he continued. "I mean, I thought I was in the minority with this."

She fidgeted slightly in her seat. Lily didn't look as though she really wanted to answer and to her shock, she didn't have the chance.

"Because of your mom, right?" Hank asked before she could speak. Lily's mouth slowly began to turn lax. She stared at Hank as though he'd just told her the meaning of life and Nick didn't understand why.

"How…" she mumbled.

It was Hank's turn to shift in his seat. He realized what he said when he saw her expression. For some reason, the fact that her lineage should have been a secret or something incredibly personal didn't don on him quickly enough.

"Monroe and Rosalee." He admitted with a hint of shame. "We didn't know who you were or why you were helping us," he began to explain.

"Or whether or not you could trust me." She finished. Hank nodded reluctantly.

"What? What are you guys talking about?" Nick asked. He didn't like being in the dark and it was obvious whatever they were talking about was yet another thing that happened while he was infected.

"The reason I'm not uncomfortable around Wesen." She said as she turned her attention back to him. Lily figured she might as well say it since everyone already knew her family's history. "It's because my mother was Wesen."

Shock and confusion began to saturate Nick's face. He looked surprised, but utterly and completely uncertain of how something like that could have transpired. Being a Grimm himself, he couldn't imagine wanting to be with a Wesen, let alone Wesen wanting to be with a Grimm. After seeing dozens or more Wesen react to him being a Grimm, he questioned whether or not it was even possible.

"How's that even possible?" he finally asked when he could regain his bearings. "Can Wesen and Grimms even _have_ kids?"

She cocked a single brow.

"I'd say it's a distinct possibility." She told him with a hint of sarcasm.

"I didn't mean… I'm sorry, it's just… how does something like that even happen?"

"I'm not certain." She answered honestly. "Evidently, they loved one another more than their species hated the other."

He noticed her passed tense when she described her parents and felt his brows come together.

"Are they still alive?" Nick bravely asked.

"No," she said softly. "No they… they were murdered when I was a girl."

"How old were you?"

"Thirteen." She answered despite herself. "Having been a Grimm for awhile now, I'm sure you can understand how their union would have been seen by other Wesen and everyone else in that world."

"Yeah," he nodded. "Badly."

She nodded her own agreement. Willing to break eye contact, Lily reached for her drink and sipped on it again. She didn't know why she was divulging as much as she was –let alone to complete strangers- but felt the words flow regardless. The only way she could rationalize the odd desire to speak was because of nothing more than his asking. People tended to forget how easy it was to get lost in conversation. Once you started speaking, it was easy to forget that you hadn't known the person for long or what you were saying. Now was no different.

"Can I ask," Nick hesitated briefly. He knew there was a distinct chance Lily wouldn't speak again. He'd preformed enough interrogations to sense when someone was ready to clam up. She met his gaze and simply waited. "What kind of Wesen was your mother?"

"A Maahes." She said softly. "My mother was a Maahes."

His brows furrowed.

"I don't what that is." He admitted. "What does a Maahes look like?"

"A lion." She said as she cleared her throat. "They look like a lion."

"Oh, like a Löwen." He chimed. "I've met a few of those before."

"Not quite the same." She said. Nick's confusion deepened, but she didn't wish to continue explaining what was difficult for her to remember. With a glance to her watch, Lily realized how long they'd been at the café. "Perhaps it's time I get back. Rosalee should be finished by now."

"Oh, right." Nick agreed. The trio pushed themselves up out of their chairs. "We can walk you back."

She wanted to tell him not to bother, but she didn't. Nick paid for their drinks at the table and guided Lily out of the café like the proper gentleman with Hank at his side.

Sure enough, when they arrived back at the shop, Rosalee was just finishing up Lily's order. She paid, thanked the shop keep and said farewell to those who'd gathered around her.

"So," Monroe chimed when the young woman was gone. "Learn anything interesting?" He teased mildly.

"Yeah," Nick said as he turned to Monroe with confusion. "What's a Maahes?"

Monroe's features dropped and shifted into an extreme form of interest.

"Dude," he breathed. "Did you actually _see_ one?"

"No," Nick answered unsurely. "Why? Are they rare?"

"Very." Rosalee nodded. "They're one of the ancient breeds of Wesen. They can be traced all the way back to the Greek and Egyptian gods."

"What, like the Anubis we dealt with a few months back?"

"Exactly." Monroe said. "They're what we call _purebloods_ because they haven't been whittled down through the years by other species and stuff."

"So, what are they? A lion right?" he continued. "Isn't that basically a Löwen?"

"Worlds different man. Think Hercules and the Nemean Lion." He said with a grin. "I mean, these guys' claws were supposed to be able to cut through anything and they were practically invulnerable to everything. Like, _nothing_ was supposed to make it through their skin when they woged. They were supposed to be one of those species that was like, unspoken Wesen royalty."

"Why are you suddenly asking about a Maahes?" Rosalee asked. "Is this part of a case or something?"

Nick took a deep breath as he looked to Hank. They seemed to share the same odd, apprehensive stare. Nick slowly exhaled, nervously shoved his hands into his pockets and looked to his friends.

"Because that's why Lily said her mother was."

Monroe and Rosalee's eyes went wide and their jaws fell.

"Are you _serious?_" Monroe managed to get out.

"That's what she said." He shrugged.

"I thought you guys knew this?" Hank asked. "You're the ones who heard about her parents."

"Yeah, but no one ever mentioned what Michelle Lavasseur was." He defended. "People were more focused on the fact she was _Wesen_ and Quinn was a _Grimm_. All anybody ever knew was she worked for the British Royals as an assassin."

"Though," Rosalee said. "Now it does make sense why so many factions went after them and why they didn't stop at just Lily's parents."

"Who else would they go after?" Hank asked.

Rosalee looked sadly at the Detective.

"Their families." She answered. "From the stories we've heard, their entire families were wiped out, siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, even cousins. On both sides of her family."

"Yeah man. _No one_ was safe." Monroe said. "They did a whole _scorched Earth_ thing."

"Why go after that many people?"

"Well," he sighed. "I mean before, we all just kind of assumed it was to make an example, but now it sounds like people were just angry."

"They'd do that for being angry?" Nick asked.

"Oh yeah." Monroe nodded. "If she'd married a Kehrseite it would have been bad enough, but a _Grimm_? That's more than an insult."

"Why would they care if she married a Kehrseite?" Nick asked. "I thought it was okay for Wesen to marry a normal human?"

"In most cases." Rosalee nodded. "But like Monroe said, purebloods like Maahes, Anubis and a handful of others are considered Wesen royalty. A lot of those families still believe in species purity because they're so old, especially members of the Council. They would have taken it personally and likely wanted other Wesen to know what happens when you're so openly defiant."

"So it wouldn't be just other Wesen after them?"

"No," Monroe shook his head. "Nick, _everyone_ would take it personal, the Council, the Royals, other Grimms… basically everyone you could think of that knows about this world would want a piece of them for that." He said somberly. "Grimms because he married Wesen, the Council cause she was, ya know, pureblood and then the Royals because she basically snubbed them instead of doing what they paid her to do."

"Yeah," Nick muttered. "From what I've seen, the Royals don't seem to forget things like that."

"And the Council don't seem all that understanding either." Hank said.

The air was heavy. Nick was given more to process than he assumed he would have when he asked. And still, despite everything Monroe and Rosalee had told him, he still had questions.

"So, does that mean she's Wesen too?" he asked the pair. "Half Wesen, half Grimm?"

"No," Rosalee answered. "She told Captain Renard the night of the outbreak that she's just a Kehrseite. She's not Wesen."

Nick seemed relieved. While he was curious to finally meet whatever a Maahes was, he was glad he didn't have to deal with someone being both Wesen and a Grimm. He'd already dealt with the poor kid whose mother spliced his DNA with that of a Löwen. If those two couldn't play along within the same body, he didn't think hers would either. And it was a legitimate concern too. Löwen and Genio Innocuo were as different as oil and water, one volatile and aggressive while the other as kindhearted and calm as anything he'd ever come across. Nick could understand the same happening between Grimm DNA and that of any form of Wesen.

"Good…" he nodded as he thought. "That's good."

"Although," Monroe said. Nick and Hank look at him apprehensively. They didn't like how he spoke that single word. "She could have traits."

"Traits?" Hank asked.

"Yeah," Monroe nodded. "Like her dad's Grimm-ness, but her mom's strength, or hearing, or something like that."

"That explains why she looks different." Rosalee said as though it suddenly made sense.

Monroe looked at her with some surprise.

"You woged in front of her?" he asked. She nodded. "Weird right?" she nodded broader than before.

"Different?" Nick asked.

"Yeah," Monroe said. "The night at the barn, I woged and saw her. I could tell she was a Grimm, but she was a little different than you."

"Different how?"

"Just… different." He said. He wasn't really sure how to describe it.

"So, she might have Wesen traits."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "But I doubt it's anything to worry about. I mean, you've got super-hearing and weird strength too, so… ya know."

Nick nodded. Monroe was right. After dealing with Wesen, Nick had his own randomly enhanced traits, so maybe she wasn't any different. Besides, at least he knew he didn't have to worry about her around his friends. She not only knew what Monroe and Rosalee were, but she spent the night with them, Hank and Juliette trying to find and save him.

He began to relax when it came to the new Grimm and was returning to being excited about a second one in Portland.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It was late in the evening by the time Lily returned to the storage unit. She'd been hungry and decided to have something to eat before visiting her captive. It wasn't as though he was going anywhere any time soon.

But by the time she made it back, the business had closed and the gate around the units was locked. It forced her to remain hidden in the shadows for longer than she wanted to. It was just after mid-night before she jumped the fence at the back of the property and returned to her unit. She had to be sure the employees were gone and no one came back for something trivial like they'd forgotten their phone, or keys. When she was sure the coast was clear, she broke in. This time she wore tennis shoes which kept her footsteps' volume to nearly nothing.

Like she had before, she picked the lock and opened the unit. Weis was still taped to the chair like he had been when she left and heavily sedated. Stepping in, she turned on the light and closed the door so they could have even more privacy. Removing the IV from his hand, she regained her seat and simply waited for him to wake up.

Lily had been waiting for nearly ten minutes when there was movement, but it wasn't coming from Weis. She heard footsteps coming from behind. The heels of someone clicked against the concrete floor making it easier for her to hear through the thin metal door. Hell, in the silence, the sudden sound was nearly deafening.

To keep herself hidden for as long as possible, Lily shot up out of her seat, flipped off the light, and hid in the corner of the unit right beside the door, but still in the blind spot of anyone who might enter. She prayed to herself that Weis not use this chance to wake and that whoever was outside would walk on. She'd never prayed so hard in her life.

Her hand slowly slipped to her waist band. Of all the weapons she kept on her, Lily preferred the non-lethal and of those enjoyed her asps. They were compact, easy to use and narrow enough they hurt like hell when they hit someone. So, taking the hilt of the weapon on her grip, Lily did her best to slow her breathing and calm because the steps were nearly to her door.

_Click… click… click…_

The footsteps slowed which made her heart race. They were outside her unit now and she knew it. Lily took in one long, steady breath after another. Adrenaline began to surge through her veins and her mind raced with a plan. A blitz attack was her best option. To her knowledge, the unit wasn't rented in her name and she doubted Renard put it in his. She'd have to knock the intruder out and run like hell before they woke, and hopefully be smart enough to erase whatever surveillance tapes the business might have too.

To her horror, the door began to shift. It rattled as it was lifted from the base and soon the sound of the sheet metal echoed in the small room as it raced along the tracks and finally slammed against the ceiling. The hall light flooded the room, half illuminating Weis and exposing what she was doing. Lily could see the person's shadow. They were large and squared, likely a man. Her hit was going to have to be hard. Taking another few breaths, Lily spun out from her hiding spot and swung her arm. It sailed through the air towards the intruder's head –elongating the asp in the process- and then abruptly stopped. The intruder caught her arm by the wrist and kept her from hitting him. She was temporarily terrified until she heard him speak.

"Hello to you, too." He sighed heavily.

Lily instantly realized who she'd nearly hit.

"Jesus _Christ_ Sean." Lily hissed through her teeth. Renard simply cocked a brow, but continued to hold her wrist until she yanked it away. "The hell do you think you're doing sneaking about in the middle of the night?" she asked as she angrily flipped on the lights.

He gave her another sarcastic stare as he walked by her and into the room. Growling and grumbling multiple insults to herself, Lily reached up and grabbed the unit's door. She closed it again.

"You didn't answer my question." She snapped.

Renard didn't speak for a moment. Instead he was busy expecting the rousing old man.

"I was wondering what, if anything, you planned to do with him." He replied. Renard stood upright and turned to face her. "You never told me your plans."

"And I don't intend to ever start." She said simply.

"Have you gotten anything from him?" he asked.

Renard took leisurely steps towards her again as he carried on a simple conversation. He acted as though he couldn't care less about the man strapped to the chair, the man he had smuggled into the country to have tortured.

"Not yet." She sighed in aggravation. "But, I intend to change that."

Lily produced the vile of serum Rosalee had given her. Setting her asp aside, Lily reached into her back pocket and pulled out another unused syringe. Regaining her seat, she removed the cork and began to fill the syringe.

"What is that?" he asked as he watched.

"A truth serum," she answered. "Of sorts."

"Should I be worried that it's going to find its way into veins other than his?"

She glanced up to him through her lashes.

"Not unless you're part Blutbad." She told him simply. She finished filling the syringe and replaced the cork in the vile. "I'd imagine using it on the wrong species would be rather uncomfortable." She tilted her head a bit to the side. She looked from the syringe to the Captain. "Shall we try it?"

He glowered softly at her. Lily gave him a curt smile in response.

Groaning from behind drew their attention away from one another. Renard turned around while Lily leaned to the side to see passed him. Weis was waking. Calmly the two waited. Renard stepped away from the man in the chair and soon stood behind Lily with his hands in his trench coat pockets. They just watched quietly until Weis was completely awake again.

"Release me." He demanded weakly. He still sounded a bit groggy.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?" she asked again.

Weis growled loud enough the sound echoed. He clearly wasn't in the mood to talk, but she didn't care. When he looked back at her, he noticed Renard standing behind her shoulder.

"Is this your muscle?" he asked. Lily scoffed and Renard shook his head, but neither answered him verbally. "Wait, I recognize that one. You… you were in my shop."

"Yes." Renard said simply.

"You are the one who brought me here?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Renard said nothing, but looked to Lily. The action forced Weis to do the same. He immediately glowered.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

Weis began to scream in angry German. He bellowed and hollered, shot insults and told her what he planned to do to her. For a few minutes he ranted, but neither of the two watching him seemed the least bit affected.

"Well," Lily sighed when Weis was finished. "That was just plain rude."

"You speak German?" Renard asked with mild curiosity.

"Among others." Though they spoke to each other, they looked only at Weis. It was a little intimidating and creepy. "Again, who collected the-"

Weis again began to spout angry insults, this time calling her and her mother whores. Lily took another deep breath and sighed. Without bothering to continue, she stood and approached the man in the chair. He struggled and tried his best to get away, but his bonds held strong. As she had the last time she approached with a needle, she jammed it into his neck and injected the substance into him. Weis growled and even woged, but it didn't matter. When the serum was injected fully, Lily returned to her seat, crossed her legs, and waited.

"How long is this supposed to take?" Renard asked after a moment or two of silence.

"With that dosage? Hopefully not long." She sighed. They watched as Weis shifted between drowsy and awake until he finally looked at her again. "Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

"Why do you care?" he grumbled.

"Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

They watched as Weis clenched his jaw. It was an odd reaction. Lily repeated her question. This time he bit down on his lip. Evidently the serum was working. When she asked again, Weis finally spoke.

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?" Renard asked.

"They will kill me."

Lily cocked a single brow. "I'd be more concerned with me killing you than them." She said simply. "Who collected the bounty on Andrew and Michelle Quinn?"

"An Englishman." He finally admitted.

"There are a few of those." She replied. "Which one?"

"A Lord."

Lily took a deep breath and chewed on the inside of her cheek. The serum may be working, but Weis seemed smart enough to answer each question as vaguely as possible. It would be impressive if not so irritating.

"Give me the name of the individual who collected the bounty for Andrew and Michelle Quinn." She said, doing her best to ensure he couldn't slither around the answer again.

"Lord Sebastian Maxwell." Weis growled hatefully.

"I know that name." Renard told her.

"Good." Lily said before speaking again to Weis. "Where is he?"

"Probably in England." Weis spat sarcastically.

The pair un-tethered tried not to strike the man in the chair.

"Now what?" Weis asked. "You kill me?"

"I haven't decided yet." She told him honestly. "Did you have anything to do with the murder?"

"No."

"Then how do you know who collected the money?"

"He works with the Wesen Council." Renard answered when Weis hesitated. "Don't you?"

"Yes." He replied through clenched teeth. "Maxwell collected before we could. The traitors had already killed the men we sent."

"How did you find them?" she pressed.

Weis began to look like he was in pain every time she asked a question because he had no choice but to respond.

"We had a contact in the Resistance." He admitted despite himself. "He told us of a cabin he took Andrew Quinn to."

"They weren't murdered at the cabin." She said. Her anger was beginning to surface. "They were found in Maine. How did you find them?"

"The man was contacted later when the cabin was empty. He said he led them to a boat and gave us the information."

"Then how did the Verrat find them?"

Lily was growing angrier by the second and soon couldn't even sit in her seat. She'd slowly risen and began pacing the longer she was forced to talk with Weis. Renard noticed, but didn't interject. Instead, he let her get all of the information she could.

"They promised him money for information." Weis replied tersely. "He tried to sell his secrets to both sides, but it did not serve him well."

"Why?" she demanded.

"The Verrat killed him." He said freely.

"Give me his name." she said. Lily still wanted to know who had turned on her parents. She had to know who betrayed them because part of her still suspected the man standing behind her. "Tell me the name of the man who told you where they were."

"Patrick Richards." He muttered.

Lily remembered the name. He was a small man, not imposing and relatively quiet. She only paid him passing attention because she'd been so happy to see her father again, but perhaps she should have. His odd, squirrely behavior seemed to make much more sense now.

"Why do you care about the traitors?" Weis finally asked. Lily –who was still pacing- finally stopped. "No self-respecting Wesen would have married a _Grimm_." he spit at her feet both to show his distaste with her and what her mother had done.

Weis again began to curse Michelle and Lily both in German, saying horribly disgusting things that forced Lily's temper to rise. To silence him, she lashed out and landed a fierce blow to his face. Weis struggled to remain conscious, but it didn't matter. He eventually slumped and began to snore through his broken nose.

"What are you going to do with him?" Renard asked as he tilted his head marginally to the side.

"I'm finished with him." She said as she turned on her heel. "Do with him as you like."

And with that, she opened the door and disappeared from sight leaving Renard with his smuggled property. She didn't care anymore. She got everything she needed and now had to find the ability to process it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The pen sailed through her fingers as she continued to read. It flipped over one digit, under the next, over the one after that and so forth. It was something people with a decent amount of dexterity could do with a coin along their knuckles. This wasn't a great deal different other than she primarily used her fingertips. It was nothing more than something to keep her hands busy while she researched as much as she could about the man Weis had named.

But, her research could only get her so far. She'd been working since the night before when she left the storage unit and had been bordering on nine hours straight. The sun had risen and she was busy brewing a second pot of coffee. She was filled with nothing but nervous energy and it didn't help her focus. She needed sleep, but she needed to find Sebastian Maxwell first.

When she finally got as far as she could with what she was searching for, Lily had no choice but to include Renard again. She only hoped he'd be willing to continue helping. Now that she wasn't filled with as much anger and rage when it came to the royal, she was actually worried about his response to her request.

~!~

Renard was sitting as his desk filling out paperwork. It was tedious and irritating, but a necessary evil considering his job. Still, it didn't mean he enjoyed it.

As he was in the middle of filling out a sentence, his door burst open. The noise shocked him, but he was composed enough not to show his surprise as Lily –of all people- came charging in. His brows pulled together tightly in the center of his forehead and his eyes darted around as though something was wrong, because surely, something had to be wrong for her to be acting as she was.

"Find him." She demanded when she reached his desk. Renard's mouth fell slack. He was ready to speak, but she didn't give him the chance. "Find him." She asserted again.

His door was wide open and people within the station were staring at the crazy woman who'd barged in on the Captain. Most there had become mildly aware of Lily so they recognized her which bothered Renard. With a sigh –and ignoring her demands- he stood. He walked to the door and closed. When he turned to her, he didn't bother hiding his irritation.

"You're aware that barging into my office and making demands might be seen as a bit 'crazy' aren't you?" he asked as he casually regained his seat.

Lily hadn't moved since her arrival. She was still leaning over with her palms resting on his desk, his name placard between them. When he regained his seat, he was finally given a chance to better look at her. Her hair was in a bun and toppling weakly to the side like it hadn't been tightened in days. The hints of bags were forming under her eyes and she looked slightly crazed.

"Have you slept?" he asked.

"No," she scoffed as though it should have been obvious. "I've been searching and now I've hit a dead end, so you need to find him."

Renard cocked a brow. She was rambling and speaking very quickly. It was clear she had a bit more caffeine in her system than was probably recommended.

"Go home, Lily." He said as he picked up his pen again. "You need to rest."

Without warning, Lily slammed her fist against his desk.

"I need to find Maxwell!" She snapped. "This is the first time in nearly two decades where I've been given anything even remotely tangible as a lead. I cannot let this go, not now."

"You mean now that you no longer suspect me or my mother." He said in a deadpan voice.

Lily fidgeted slightly as she looked at the man with the intense eyes staring blankly back. Slowly, she stood upright. Her eyes darted away from his and to her hands. Lily picked briefly at her nails looking more like a nervous youth than an adult.

"I'm sorry for that." She mumbled. "And… for what I said… at my flat." She gradually looked up at him with her two-toned eyes. "I didn't mean to call you a bastard."

"Yes you did." He replied. She winced. "We both meant what we said," he admitted. "At the time."

Her brows furrowed sadly in the center of her forehead.

"Please Sean," she said softly. He was surprised to hear an honest undertone to her words. "You've contacts and people who can locate him for you without question. I don't. I've taken this as far as I possibly can. I," she hesitated on the words because they were difficult to force out and he noticed. "I need your help."

Renard didn't immediately offer her an answer one way or the other. He simply stared at her without an expression for her to interpret. After a moment, he took a breath and sighed gently. He leaned back in his chair and tore his eyes from hers. Renard made it look like he was deep in thought despite having come up with an answer long ago. He knew she'd come to him for help even before Lily did. He knew she'd eventually go as far as she could and ask him the exact thing she had demanded moments before, so he already had an answer to give, but he let her wait. He let her fret and worry.

The Captain continued to feign thinking for longer than Lily felt comfortable seeing. He already planned on saying yes, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her.

After returning to college that winter, Renard's mother told him about what happened to Lily's family. It all transpired mere months after his leaving, not long at all. He was smart enough to know then that at some point the thirteen year old girl would likely reach out to him or his mother –the only people she really knew- for help, but she hadn't. Because he felt bad for the child forced to grow up without family at such a young age, he already planned to help her find the ones responsible, when she asked. But she never did. In fact, she accused him of the slight. And now that she knew otherwise, nearly twenty years later, he would make her sweat a bit for it. He would make her rethink everything she'd ever called him just for the fun of it. After all, what was life without a bit of fun?

"On one condition." He finally said. When he met her eyes again, he noticed her shoulders slump just a bit like she was afraid of what he'd ask. "You give me the same offer our parents had, one favor for another."

"You wouldn't happen to have one already decided, would you?" she asked as though she already knew the answer.

"Not at the moment, no." he said despite having an inkling of what he might ask of her.

"Of course not." She mumbled primarily to herself. "Yes," she said an instant later. He was surprised she offer an answer without any real thought. "Yes, I'll owe you a favor." She repeated. "Now find him."

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep on it?" he asked. Renard was a bit worried she might regret it later –not that he'd make her do anything regrettable- because she wasn't in her right mind.

"I'm fine." She grumbled. "Now find him."

Renard sighed again, but nodded heavily.

"I'll see what I can do." He agreed.

She narrowed her eyes on him. He could tell she was trying to find the lie, or some other 'tell' when it came to his trustworthiness, but he didn't flinch. Instead he stared directly into her reddening, tired eyes.

After a moment she nodded as though silently solidifying their agreement. Without anything else to say, she turned to leave. Renard noticed her feet had gotten heavier and her stance wavered slightly. The adrenaline and coffee no longer surged through her body and the lethargy was taking over. He briefly hoped she made it home in one piece before getting back to work.

~!~

Lily didn't finally fall asleep until her body gave out. She'd taken a seat on her couch, her laptop in her lap examining the photo of _Lord_ Sebastian Maxwell, and she somehow slipped into a coma-like sleep. She didn't know when it happened, only that she awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. Groggy, Lily reached for it. The motion caused her laptop to tumble to the ground. She growled at it and answered the phone in a tone that reflected her recent annoyance.

"Yeah?" she grumbled.

The person on the other end of the line was a potential client who was second guessing calling the PI. Lily cleared her throat and apologized before asking how she could help. Because of her need to remain hidden, Lily didn't truly advertise what she did for a living. Instead, she relied on word of mouth and had to make sure she didn't discourage someone who could later spread the word of her skills.

The job was simple, but it would be time consuming. She had an insurance scam to prove. Evidently, some guy had been collecting disability for nearly two years and his employer was beginning to doubt his claims. It didn't pay as much as cheating husbands or wives, but it was still a paycheck.

~!~

Renard was sitting in his office on his computer. It was nearly the end of his business day and after his paperwork was finished, he devoted the rest of his time to finding Lord Maxwell. It was easy enough considering the man seemed rather proud of himself when it came to the public eye in Britain, but he understood how Lily had trouble. There was very little said about the man's personal life other than rumors and tabloids. Without someone on the inside or someone skilled at finding things out, he understood why she needed to come to someone else. It would only take a few short phone calls before he had someone following the noble and it would only be a matter of time after that before he could give something to Lily. Then again, perhaps he was simply being prideful and arrogant. He wasn't sure. He wouldn't know until he tried.

~!~

It had been two days since Lily spoke to Renard and she hadn't heard anything from the royal. It was drawing on her patience. She'd been using her current job to distract herself, but it was getting more and more difficult as time progressed. She could almost _feel_ the minutes tick by.

Using the Bluetooth through her car's system, Lily made a phone call while she kept her eyes on the man in the distance. Honestly, who works out on a treadmill in front of the windows of a gym when they're claiming worker's comp because of a knee injury? Idiot.

"_Yes_?" a familiar voice answered.

"I grow increasingly impatient, Sean." Lily said as she raised her camera to her eye and snapped a succession of photos.

"_Where are you?"_ he asked. He could hear the background noise.

"Working." She said simply. "Have you found him?"

"_He isn't so easily located."_

"He's a pompous, arrogant rich little Lord." She replied tersely. "I highly doubt he's hidden away in a hole somewhere."

"_Perhaps he's just smart."_ Renard said in a calm and mildly annoyed voice.

"Or perhaps," Lily glanced at her equipment as she spoke. "You simply need motivation." Renard didn't reply. He was a bit worried what she would consider _motivation_. But she didn't continue. Instead, her hands dropped and she stared out her windshield as something she should have thought of donned on her. "What happened to Weis?"

She hadn't gone back to the storage unit since leaving because there wasn't a point. With a new focus, she somehow forgot entirely there was a man locked in a makeshift cell only a few miles from her home.

"_He's been taken care of."_

"Hm," she mumbled to herself. Lily's attention went back to her camera. "Is he alive?" she asked in a careless tone.

"_Does it really matter?"_

"I suppose not." She said simply. Lily put the camera to her eye again and turned on the man in the gym. "You've got one more day to give me something Sean, or I'm going to become a nuisance."

"_You haven't been thus far?"_ he shot back without hesitation.

"Not in the least." She replied loftily as she snapped photos. "Goodbye Sean."

Reaching blindly for her dashboard, Lily pressed the _end call_ button. She said what she had to say and hopefully he got the point. If not, she truly would begin to annoy him and not in the conventional ways either.

Lily didn't care whether or not Weis was alive, though part of her knew he was dead. Renard wouldn't have let the old man go when he could point to not only the royal bastard, but Lily as well. Despite their differences and how rocky their friendship had been –which was a nice way of classifying their bout of trying to kill one another- Lily didn't think Renard would turn her in. A part of her didn't think he'd willingly hand her over to the Royals or the Council. Why, she didn't know, but she just assumed he wouldn't. It was perhaps the only way she really trusted him.

And she was right. Renard had no intentions of handing her over to the people willing to profit off the head of a young woman whose only crime was existing. She was an abomination in the eyes of any Wesen in power and her being born is a slight against the English Royal Family her mother defied. He wasn't going to condemn someone to death for something they couldn't control. He wasn't his family.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

By the following night, Renard had nothing to give Lily. He'd missed her deadline, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. He had his trusted employees searching for weaknesses in Maxwell's schedule and social life. Finding the man wasn't the difficult part, getting to him was, and Renard wasn't going to give Lily something as trivial as Maxwell's location. He knew she was unstable enough to likely hunt for the one who ordered the hit that took her parents from her. And to make it worse, she wouldn't be smart about it either. She'd probably run in blind and be killed before anything worthwhile happened.

Renard's shoulders were heavy and dropped as a result. The moment he was in his home they lost their rigid shape and he let himself relax about as much as possible. Between the Manticore running around murdering former soldiers for revenge and Adalind being pregnant with a mystery child, Renard had more on his plate than he would have liked. Lily and her dead-line was simply a cherry on top of the towering pile of shit.

He wanted a drink, a hot shower and to lie in his own bed. He wouldn't get the chance, however. At least not as soon as he would have liked.

Renard stood at his bar pouring himself a drink with his back to the room. Perhaps he should have been more aware of his surroundings.

"Times up," she chimed from behind. Renard spun on his heel and had his service weapon aimed within an instant. Lily seemed less than worried from her spot on his couch. He growled, but didn't immediately relent his weapon. "You were meant to have him by now."

"Did you really break into the police captain's home?" he asked with mild irritation.

She shrugged a single shoulder and continued to pick at her nails casually. Lily slowly met his gaze and eyed him sternly through her lashes.

"Do you have Maxwell or not?" she asked coldly.

"Does it look as though I have an English Lord stashed somewhere in my living room?" he asked sarcastically.

"I wouldn't put anything passed you, Sean." She replied simply. "Now then, tell me what you have, if anything at all."

Renard sighed and finally lowered his weapon. He set it on his bar and finished with his drink before facing her once again.

"Did you think I'd have him here, in Portland, within three days?" he asked. She simply cocked a brow. He knew that silently meant yes, she did expect that. "I have people looking into him as we speak."

"And?"

"And you must be-"

"Don't," she interrupted with a hiss and a stern finger pointed at him. "Don't you dare tell me to be patient." He didn't immediately speak. Somehow he knew she wasn't done, and he was right. "I've waited more than half my life to finally find out who's responsible for taking them away, so you don't get to tell me to be patient."

"You've waited eighteen years." He said calmly. "Is it so difficult to wait another few days?"

The question was meant to be rhetorical, but Lily had something she felt he needed to hear. Perhaps it was more that she needed to get it off her chest. Either way, she spoke without truly knowing the reason behind it. The words simply came.

"Do you know what happened, that night?" she asked without expecting an answer. Her voice was low and dangerously even. Renard was smart enough to realize he'd better remain silent or risk a physical altercation… again. Her gaze slowly traveled to meet his again briefly. "I was there, when they died. I listened," She said as her eyes slowly lost focus and drifted towards the distance as she remembered. Renard narrowed his eyes skeptically. He didn't know what to think at the moment and stayed quiet because of it. "I listened as men sent by the Council butchered my father. I listened as my mother slaughtered them only to have the Verrat slay her. The only reason I survived was my mother had the forethought to stash me away beneath the floors in a crawl-space." When she met his eye again hers were tinting pink with the promise of angry tears. "When the fighting stopped, and I finally emerged, the walls were painted with the blood of not only the assailants, but my parents as well." She blinked and the tears fell silently down her cheeks. "They skinned her." She breathed. "While she was alive, did you know that?" Renard felt himself shake his head despite his body having remained eerily immobile. Lily's jaw clenched and she nodded shortly. "Maahes hides are worth a fortune and the Family wanted proof, so the one who survived skinned her and I had to listen." Her words were barely audible. "So you don't get to stand there and be patient while the man who's responsible for that Hell is so close. Do you hear me?"

The room was deathly silent while Renard tried to process Lily's story. He couldn't help but picture it as she told him what happened. He imagined a faceless man in place of her father (they had never met), but he knew her mother and could see her clearly in his mind. The images and the sounds he conjured were horrifying and Renard was wise enough to know it was nothing in comparison. The thought that a child had to witness something so awful made even his cold heart sputter sadly.

"They're looking for a break in his security." Renard answered in a somber tone. "You need to trust me, Lily."

"I don't trust anyone." She said honestly. He understood and didn't take personal offense.

"Soon." He told her as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "I can only promise you soon."

Lily eyed him emotionlessly for a moment before pushing herself up. She started towards him at a slow pace, her eyes never leaving his.

"You had better hope so." She told him softly as she walked by without a break in step. "For your sake."

Renard continued to watch her as she opened his door and left him standing in his living room both threatened and unnerved.

~!~

Lily sat on her bed with a photo clutched in her hands. It was of a time when she was happy, when she had everything she could ever need, and when she had a family. Her parents surrounded her and all of them were smiling. The picture was so old and her only copy. It was wrinkled, a corner was torn free and some of the color had been rubbed off. It was the wear and tear of being stashed in a pocket for years and years which was why she kept it in a wooden box now.

When she was young, Lily knew her life wasn't normal, but she didn't know by how much. She knew people didn't run for their lives like she did. She knew it wasn't normal to be hunted. She was simply used to it. From the time she was born, her and her parents didn't remain in one place for longer than a year. They couldn't risk it and because of that Lily never attended school or made friends. Any meaningful connection to the outside world was snuffed out it favor of a life.

Documents were easily forged for the family. According to records, Lily attended school in Cardiff, Wales. Americans never noticed her accent was English so it was close enough. Until they met with Elizabeth in the woods, Lily had been raised in the countryside and forests of England, bouncing from one place to another until she was old enough to withstand long distance travel and understand why it was happening.

Her parents never kept anything from her. They taught her at a young age about the Wesen world and why they were constantly moving. They told her what Grimms were and why Wesen were frightened of them and her mother freely woged to show her what a Wesen could look like. She never knew it was strange or that others didn't know about their kind until shortly before her parents' deaths. It wasn't until she was on her own that Lily understood just how unorthodox her life had been.

Still, she was happy as a child. She came from a family that loved her, that taught her what someone was didn't matter and that she was special. Unfortunately with the good, came the bad. They also taught her not to trust anyone, that friends were a luxury people being hunted couldn't afford and that having roots could kill you.

The tears she'd spilled since sitting down had dried, but her eyes were still pink. Her body trembled with the desire to act and the picture shook in her grip as a result. She needed Renard to come through. It wasn't a desire; it was a need, something that had to be fulfilled without question or hesitation. It was something that had to be done or she felt like she forfeited her own life. That's how she viewed her revenge. If she didn't come through, she would wither away and disappear under the weight of her own despair and the fear she'd let her parents down.

The headaches returned. Lily stood, tucked the picture away again and retrieved the tonic Rosalee had made her. To her surprise half of it was gone. In a few shorts days –perhaps not even a week- the elixir that should have lasted her a month or better was half gone. She wondered briefly how often the headaches came now before brewing herself another cup of tea.

With the tonic's help, Lily felt herself slip into another drug-aided slumber. Perhaps that was why the elixir was nearly gone? Whatever the reason, she soon drifted and slipped into familiar nightmares made all the more real by the discovery of Lord Maxwell.

~!~

Renard faired no better that night. Lily left him uncomfortable and nervous. There was something in her eyes that made him fearful she would do something stupid. He didn't know if it would involve him, or if it would be in regards to the Lord, but he knew something would happen if he wasn't careful. And with that, he knew she was a liability. Before, Renard was sure of her calculating nature. She was like him in that regard. It was a side-effect of their upbringing. Being chased and hunted was the best way to learn to be careful and smart. But now… now he wasn't sure.

Given the proof she always wanted –and knowing she could trust Weis' statement- he knew she was slipping. He'd seen it in her eyes when she visited him. He saw her resolve beginning to disappear in favor of unbridled madness, just so she could have her revenge.

He couldn't risk it. Renard had too many things to worry about, too many people watching him and too much relying on his need to stay under people's radar to let her race off and wage war on the English Royals. And something told him she wouldn't have the slightest problem with bragging about how she'd managed to find Lord Maxwell. He couldn't let his name become involved in any way. Dealing with his own family was bad enough. He didn't need possible attacks coming from two sides.

Renard sighed as he stared at the phone in his hand. A foreign number was reflecting back at him and he knew all he had to do was press _call_. He found it more difficult than he would have assumed to force his thumb to move a single inch, but the reality of his decision was paralyzing. Lily would understand… perhaps. It was, after all, for her own good. If he didn't act now, there was no telling what might happen. It was best to simply come at the problem directly and put an end to it before she did something that destroyed everything he'd built.

With a grimace as though it caused him a brief sting of pain, Renard pressed the button and held the phone to his ear. It rang for a moment before the other end of the line was picked up.

"_Yes?"_ a deep voice answered.

"This is Sean Renard." He said. "I'm calling for Lord Sebastian Maxwell."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.

"_The Austrian King's son?"_

"Yes," he rolled his eyes. "That Sean Renard."

It was a question he'd received on multiple occasions when he introduced himself to someone new. He wasn't surprised the stranger recognized it either. By now, most of the royals knew of the king's bastard son and his name. Besides, the number Renard called wasn't one known to the public. It'd make sense they assumed it was him and not another random name with his name.

"_In regards to what?"_

"Something he'll be very interested in."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before someone else picked.

"_Sean Renard,"_ the voice chuckled. "_This is an interesting development. So, you have something to offer?"_

"That depends."

"_On what?"_

"On whether or not the reward is still valid for the Quinns."

"_You're about twenty years too late, my friend."_ He said with an edge. _"They've been dealt with."_

"Two, perhaps."

There was another pause. Renard heard the man on the other end speaking to someone in the background while trying to cover the receiver of the phone. It barely worked.

"_I'm listening."_

"The bounty?"

Maxwell sighed obnoxiously and it made Renard want to hit him.

"_It's still 2 million Euros, if the information is valid."_

"Very."

"_Where's the girl?"_

"Tell me, have you ever visited Portland?" he asked casually. "We have wonderful scenery."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Monroe winced when Rosalee chastised him for not telling his parents they were living together. She was ready to continue when the door opened. Lily paused and stared wide-eyed at the two because she knew she'd walked in on something personal.

"Should… I come back later?" she asked.

"No," Rosalee shook her head and waved Lily into the shop. "No, it's fine. What can I do for you?"

Lily nodded her greeting to Monroe in passing and met Rosalee at the counter.

"I've come to order a bit more of the elixir you made me, for my headaches."

Rosalee didn't bother hiding her surprise.

"Already?" she asked. "I thought you said it was working?"

"It is." Lily nodded heavily. "It works wonderfully, in fact, but I seem to be having them more frequently than I used to. I hadn't meant to go through this supply so quickly."

Rosalee grabbed a piece of paper to write down the order so she wouldn't forget.

"How much is left in the vile?"

"Perhaps three doses."

Rosalee again looked stunned by the declaration. She hadn't expected Lily to need a refill so soon, if at all.

"Uh… yeah, sure I can make you more. I'll just have to increase the amount." She said with a smile.

Lily nodded. Monroe lingered in the background because he didn't have anything to contribute, but he found it a little difficult to look away from the curious young woman. Lily, on the other hand, noticed something interesting with Rosalee.

"Congratulations." She said without warning. Rosalee looked up from her writing with confusion touching her features. Lily pointed to the ring. "On your engagement. You weren't wearing that the last time I was here."

It had been months, it seemed, since she'd seen anyone from the Spice Shop. It was just the beginning of the New Year, after all, and she'd spoken to Rosalee just before Christmas, so perhaps it only felt so long because so much had been happening lately within Lily's own life.

"Oh," she chimed. Rosalee smiled happily and looked to Monroe. "Yeah, he proposed last night."

Monroe beamed when Rosalee looked at him and even had his chest puffed out a bit.

"Well," Lily said. When Rosalee looked at her again she noticed a real smile touching the young woman's face. It was a little disarming considering how serious Lily had always been. "I wish you two all the happiness, truly."

Rosalee soon smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." She said warmly.

"And…" Lily hesitated. She knew what she was about to say may be taken the wrong way, but a part of her felt it was necessary. Though why, even she wasn't sure. "Just be strong." Rosalee's brows tensed slightly. The odd sentence even brought Monroe around the counter until he stood beside his fiancée. They both stared strangely at the young woman for the mild off-putting statement. "I realize we don't know one another well enough for me to say this, but-" Rosalee and Monroe's faces began to turn stern. They felt they knew what she was about to say. "I'm not stranger to the bigotry that follows unorthodox marriages." They tensed. "My mother used to tell me that _being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage_ and that together there is nothing you can't overcome."

A slow, soft smile touched Rosalee's lips by the end of Lily's statement. Monroe gently put his hand around her shoulders and together they relaxed.

"That's beautiful, thank you." Rosalee said kindly. "And, I am sorry for what happened to them."

"Thank you." Lily said. "And thank you for the _Serum Exomologesis. _It helped me quite a bit."

"Nothing… illegal. Right?" Monroe found himself asking before he could stop the words.

Lily gave him a smile that made him feel briefly like a little kid that did something his mother thought was adorable. He didn't know if he should be insulted or feel foolish.

"No," she openly lied. But, she did so convincingly at least. "It helped me find the answers to questions I've had for a very long time."

The pair nodded slowly. They weren't entirely certain how to progress with the situation they found themselves in, so Rosalee decided to simply continue with their previous business.

"So," she chimed after a moment. "I can start brewing this today and it should be finished by early in the morning. Would you like me to call you when it's finished?"

"Sure." Lily nodded. Rosalee offered her a piece of paper and pen. Lily wrote down her number and slid it back. "Thank you, again."

"No problem." Rosalee smiled.

With a wave and kind farewell, Lily left.

"You know," Monroe said as Rosalee began to move to the bookshelf to look for the spices. "She's not so bad, ya know, for a Grimm and all."

"Yeah," Rosalee agreed. "She seems to be warming up a little."

And she was. Lily was never used to having to interact with too many people –at least people who didn't pay her for her services- so making conversation for very long was a foreign concept. But, she was beginning to get better at it. She was beginning to get comfortable, for the moment at least.

~!~

Renard was in his office filling out paperwork… again. Honestly, it amazed him how much he had to write when it came to frivolous forms. They were never ending. Then there were the meetings and press conferences and yadda, yadda, yadda… he felt like he was a legitimate royal, but without all of the benefits. It was nothing but constant work when he wanted to do anything else. Ordinarily it didn't bother him. It gave him time to think and plot, but not at the moment. He felt the job was taking far too much attention away from Adalind and Lily. Both young women consumed his mind for their own respective reasons.

A knock on his door forced him to look up. His eyes thanked him for the moment. Wu soon poked his head inside.

"Sir," he said with a level of uncertainty. "There's a…" he paused and made a face that let Renard know Wu couldn't believe what he was about to say. "A _Lord_… Maxwell here to speak with you."

Renard felt his insides jerk. He'd expected Maxwell to contact him before his arrival, or perhaps wait a day or two after the phone call to come to Portland. Evidently, that wasn't his plan.

"Show him in." Renard said.

The Captain set down his pen and stood as a man was led into his office. Three of them, in fact. Two were dressed in simple black suits leading Renard to believe they were body guards of some sort (likely Verrat), while the third looked vastly different.

The Lord was in his late forties, perhaps early fifties. He looked good for his age with short cut hair styled perfectly without a tress out of place and a beard to match. The color was muddled with grey and white giving hints to his age more than his face. His suit was well tailored and expensive and showed everyone he came from a ridiculous amount of money.

"Captain Renard," he greeted with a cold smile. He stepped forward and offered his hand to the man behind the desk. Renard shook it despite wanting to break it for nothing more than the way Maxwell said his name. "So," he fluffed the back of his jacket before sitting with his bodyguards behind him. He kept his smug grin and examined Renard briefly. "I always wondered what the Austrian bastard looked like."

Renard gave him a sharp, curt smile before taking his own seat. Despite Maxwell's well quaffed exterior and perfectly formed posh accent, he acted more a bastard than Renard ever had.

"And a police Captain in America," he swooned with false pride. "I'd say it's impressive, but I'm sure it was the best you could do being so far removed from family."

"Or because it offers me backdoors otherwise closed to most." Renard snipped. Maxwell raised a brow while Renard gave the Lord his own false smile.

"Very good." He mused darkly. "Now, why have I brought myself half way across the world to this rather disgusting backwater town?"

Renard tensed his jaw briefly. The longer Maxwell spoke, the more he wanted to hit him. But he refrained. For the moment…

"Because you've been looking for the only survivor of that night for nearly twenty years," Renard said simply as he leaned back in his chair. "And I know where she is."

"That's assuming you have the right person." He explained. "I was told the girl is dead."

"I don't think you would have flown this far if you truly thought she was dead."

"Perhaps not," he muttered under his breath. Maxwell brushed her fingertips along the knee of his slacks as though he had gotten something on them. "Well then, don't keep me in suspense."

Renard opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a large glossy photo. He slid it across the space between them and to the Lord. Maxwell eyed Renard skeptically as he took the picture and looked over the young woman encompassed within.

"And I'm to take your word that this is her?" he asked as he tossed the photo back.

"You're aware of my history with the family, are you not?"

"Yes," he said slimily. "That brings me to my next question. Why betray someone whom you sheltered?"

"My mother, sheltered." Renard corrected. "As far as I'm concerned, she's little more than an easy paycheck. Besides, she's unstable and I don't need the kind of trouble she can bring in my city."

A wicked, disturbing smile spread slowly across Maxwell's lips. His gray eyes were empty of everything other than hatred and malice. Renard had seen that look in more people than he cared to admit and recognized it easily.

"Have you made contact with her?" Maxwell asked.

"Not yet, but I can."

"Good, because you're going to be the one who brings her to me."

"Excuse me?" Renard asked with a cocked brow.

"You heard me." Maxwell said. His taunting smirk began to fade and his features turned darker than before. "If you wish to collect the bounty on that thing's head, you will have to get your hands dirty, Captain. Unless you don't have the stomach for it?"

"I have no issues with getting my hands dirty, I assure you, but if I am the one who has to deliver her, it will be somewhere of my choosing."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Renard replied with an unyielding stare. "Forgive me, but I don't much trust you."

"The feeling, I assure you, is quite mutual." Maxwell said. "And how am I to trust you won't have any of your officers hidden away, ready to arrest me the instant I come to collect her?"

"Because none of the officers here know who I am." He lied. "And I would prefer to keep it that way, a task that would be impossible if I chose to include them, don't you think?"

"I suppose so." He agreed skeptically.

"Besides," Renard looked at the two men in black. "Something tells me you have your own security well taken care of." He narrowed his eyes on them both. "Verrat?"

"Of course." Maxwell answered freely. "But, four men would hardly be beneficial if she takes after that mother of hers." He nearly spat the latter half of the sentence when speaking about the woman who was once in his employment and had betrayed him so completely.

"She doesn't."

"Really?" he asked coldly. "And how can you be certain if you've yet to make contact?"

"When I realized she was in the city, I sent an _associate_ of mine to… introduce himself." He openly lied, but made it sound convincing enough Maxwell seemed willing to believe Renard did as he insinuated, which was send someone to confront the young woman. "She's a Grimm."

Maxwell raised another brow and nodded to himself.

"Well, those are more manageable." He conceded. "Fine. I will meet your terms, but I make one more concession."

"I'm listening." He sighed.

"Give my men free reign before our meeting." He said. "I'd like to be sure you don't have someone stashed away within the shadows."

"Agreed." Renard nodded. "How long will you be in town?"

"As long as it takes." He said sternly.

Renard nodded again and stood. He offered his hand to the Lord who slowly rose to shake it. The action to seal the deal made was tense and filled with distrust.

"Good doing business with you."

"We will see." Maxwell said under his breath before leaving the room with his bodyguards in toe.

Renard rose a brow at the trio and watched as they disappeared from sight. When his eyes moved once again to the room, he noticed Nick looking at him strangely. Without a word, he waved the Detective in. Nick readily stood and made his way to the Captain's office.

"Who was that?" he asked as he closed the door.

"Lord Sebastian Maxwell." Renard sighed as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"More relatives?" Nick asked unenthusiastically.

"No." he shook his head. "He's the one who's responsible for the murder of Lily's parents."

Nick narrowed his eyes on his boss and wondered where the conversation was heading and what he'd just walked into.

"Listen, I'm going to ask you to do something that is most likely out of your comfort zone."

"Meaning?"

"I need your help to hand Lily over to Maxwell."

Nick's eyes went wide and his mouth fell slack.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Renard had just hung up with Adalind. He gave her his warning and only hoped she'd be able to escape the cabin before the royals found her. With one insane woman he knew taken care of, he had the other to deal with, and she was going to be the more difficult.

He packed up his things and headed to her house. It was just as easy to get in this time as it had been the first and with hurried steps he made it to her apartment. He knocked heavily and waited for her to answer. When she didn't quickly enough for him, he knocked again repeatedly.

"_My god!"_ he heard her yell from the other side of the door before it swung open. "What?" she demanded. Renard didn't immediately speak and instead pushed passed her and into her apartment. She followed him in irritation. "The hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm here to get you." He said simply. When he reached her living room he turned to face her.

"For what?" she asked tersely.

"Maxwell is here, in Portland."

Rage swept through her features in an instant and turned them evil. He'd never actually witnessed someone's eyes darken with hatred until that moment.

"Where is he?" she growled through her teeth.

"Get your things. I can take you there."

Too busy with thoughts of her own revenge, Lily hadn't noticed Renard's hands had remained in his jacket since his arrival. She didn't notice him watching her intently and she didn't notice him coming up behind her until it was too late.

A thick arm wrapped around her chest the moment her back was turned. She barely had time to register it was Renard's before she felt a sharp prick in her neck. Filled with as much fury as she could manage, Lily shoved him away from her, but not before he injected the syringe's contents into her body.

"Wha…" she touched her neck and turned to face him. Her face was twisted in anger when she looked at him and the evidence of his betrayal in his hand. "What did you do?!" she demanded.

"What I had to." He answered simply.

Lily took steps towards him, ready to fight, but the drug was quick and she felt like she was moving through thickening concrete. She swung heavily at him. Renard easily avoided the hit and caught her when she began to stumble.

"I'm going… to kill you… I swear." She mumbled.

Renard said nothing, he simply held her and guided her gently to the ground. He felt bad for what he had to do and what he knew was coming next, but he also knew it was the only way.

Moving quickly, Renard bound and gagged her before she had the chance to wake up. He didn't give her a very strong dosage and knew there wasn't a great deal of time until she woke.

~!~

Renard gave Nick his orders. He assumed the Grimm would tell Hank about everything, but hoped he wouldn't. He impressed how dangerous the situation would be and it was no place for a regular human.

At the appointed time, Renard drove up to the abandoned building in the middle of the woods. He picked it for its isolation and ease with remaining hidden. When he pulled up the lone dirt road, he noticed the black SUV that belonged to the Lord parked and waiting. He sighed and readied himself for what was about to happen.

The moment Renard stepped out of his vehicle; he was met with the same two body guards from before and soon the little Lord. Maxwell kept his simple, slimly smirk that irked Renard as much as it had the first time he'd seen it, if not more.

"Captain," he greeted in a voice to match his smile. "Have you brought her?"

Renard nodded. He didn't want to speak more than he needed to considering he might say something he'd regret or that would jeopardize what he had planned. Without a word, he stepped to the back of his car. He felt them behind him like an overbearing shadow. Again, he did his best to ignore them.

With practiced moves, Renard opened his trunk to reveal the young woman within. Lily was still unconscious and curled gently in a small ball with her hands tied behind her back. Renard looked at Maxwell who –instead of being pleased like one would think- seemed skeptical and a bit annoyed. Still, he snapped his fingers and the two Verat moved. The big one reached in and grabbed Lily while the other headed for the abandoned warehouse in the background. When she was clear, Renard slammed his trunk shut and followed. He glanced briefly over his shoulders into the tree line and felt himself hoping Nick followed through.

As Renard headed for the decrepit dwelling, he heard something he wasn't surprised by. Fighting and screaming. Evidently, Lily was awake.

By the time he made it through the doorway, Renard was privy to a sight that made his chest tighten, but didn't stop his advance. Lily was struggling against one of the soldiers while the second tried to tie her to a chair that was placed in the middle of the vacant space.

"Ah, Captain Renard," Maxwell greeted. Lily immediately stopped struggling. Her head spun to see the man in the trench coat advancing with the same look of distant uncaring she'd seen a thousand times. "You're just in time."

"Clearly."

Lily kept her eyes on him with laser precision. If he thought she was angry before, it was nothing compared to the hatred he felt coming from her now. It was palpable.

"I am going to _eviscerate_ you." She growled through her teeth.

Renard said nothing, simply raised a single brow to her deadly declaration. He expected as much.

Lily continued to stare at him. The headaches returned, magnified by her anger ten-fold. Her vision pulsed and her body felt like it was on fire. Her rage was all-consuming and she wanted nothing more than to ripe through Sean Renard's throat with her teeth. It was an odd emotion, but one she felt _very_ strongly about.

"May I make a suggestion?" he asked calmly, coldly. No spoke, but Maxwell glanced to him just as Renard pulled out a pair of shiny handcuffs. "Perhaps something stronger?"

Maxwell thought about the proposition. His men were staring at him, waiting patiently for his answer. When he nodded, one of them reached out for the silver pieces, but Renard didn't hand them over. Instead, he stepped around the pair and loomed behind Lily. Feeling him so close made her struggle again. This time, her actions needed to be controlled by both men, not just one, so each took a shoulder while Renard threaded the cuffs through the back of the metal chair and clamped them securely around her wrists. Before he left her side, he was sure to press something into her palm.

Renard soon joined Maxwell's side along with the two Verat. They all stared at her with blank expressions and it made her want to react… violently.

"So," Maxwell finally sighed. "It's true. You're the spawn."

Her eyes shot to him. Lily stared at him silently through her lashes, her unusual eyes burning with hate.

"I can tell," he squatted down in his spot fifteen feet away to better look into her face. "By those eyes of yours. They told me the spawn had two different eyes."

He refused to call her anything humanizing. To him, she was a creature, nothing more, an abomination to the natural order of things. To Maxwell, it was 'us' and 'them', monsters and humans. She was a combination of both which shouldn't exist.

"_You…"_ she growled so deeply that those in the room could actually hear an animalistic undertone. "This was all your fault, wasn't it?"

"Of course."

It was the first time he'd smiled honestly since arriving in America. Worst yet, he actually seemed happy about it.

"Why?"

For some reason she had to know. Given the chance now, she had to know why everything happened. She had to know why someone she'd never met hunted her and why he thought her family was so awful they had to be eradicated. She had to know why.

"In truth," he pushed himself to his feet. "I can't stand your kind." Her brows came together. She didn't understand. "Wesen." He elaborated. "Animals, all of you." She glowered. He knew she wasn't Wesen, but it didn't matter. She still had the blood in her veins. "Disgusting too. And then you half-breeds…" Maxwell paused and glanced over his shoulder at the still stoic Renard. "No offense, of course."

"Of course." He answered deeply.

Renard –who kept his hands clamped together in front of himself- tightened his grip just to keep from strangling Maxwell for his comment. The Lord either didn't care how rude his comment was given his company, or didn't realize. It was more likely he just didn't care.

"Now then, it's a shame you're not a bit like your mother." He said with a sigh. Lily began to shake she was so angry. "I'd rather like to have another pelt for my wall." The shaking grew worse as did the ache racing through her body. Lily had never felt such fire. "Mother and daughter, right above my desk. That's where it's hanging, you know." Her vision began to pulse and blacken the more he spoke.

Renard was still watching her and could tell something was wrong. He knew she was angry, but this was different. This was… he wasn't sure, but he knew nothing good would come of it.

Movement elsewhere caught his attention. He glanced up briefly and spotted something he was relieved to see. Nick was stalking along the catwalk high above, hiding between AC ducts and the like to stay out of sight of the Hundjägers below. Renard felt a brief wave of relief at having the backup before giving Lily his attention again. When he had, his relief was gone, whisked away faster than it had come. Her head was down shielding her face from them through long tresses of black hair. She was shaking so intensely it looked painful and her breathing sounded more like an animal's grunts, like those of…

Renard took a wide, preemptive step back. His action drew the eye of the curious Verat beside him, but Maxwell didn't notice. He instead continued to taunt her, ignorant to what his callous words were doing.

"And he managed it with such skill," he went on to say, "removing the skin so surgically, I could hardly tell it was ever alive."

Without warning, Lily lunged for the Lord and never stopped. She sailed for him without resistance. Her hands wrapped around his throat as she took him violently to the ground. Maxwell grunted from the force and struggled to be able to see through the haze the pressure around his throat was causing. What he saw was terrifying. Brilliant gold eyes shined through tendrils of black hair, surrounded by a face clad in silvery fur. And when she opened her mouth, Lily let out a ferocious roar.

The Hundjägers reacted the instant they realized she wasn't confined to the chair. They each charged for Lily, but neither was given the chance to interfere. Renard reached for his weapon and fired the same instant Nick did from above. The two extra bodies crumbled to the ground within an instant.

"You stole everything from me." She growled. A feline crackle filled her words while her lips curled back to reveal frightening canines. "And you will suffer for it."

Lily's focus shifted to her hands. She didn't notice the claws decorating her fingertips, only delighted as they began to sink into his skin. Losing his battle with consciousness, Maxwell did the only thing he could think. No one saw his hand move and no one saw the gun he pulled out from hiding. No one saw anything until after he pressed the muzzle against her stomach and fired.

The bang echoed loudly in the wide space. Lily jerked at the sensation, but refused to release him even as she roared in pain. She tightened her grip even after he fired once more. She continued to squeeze until she felt a satisfying pop beneath her hands and Maxwell went still.

Feeling the adrenaline wash through her as it subsided, Lily released the now-dead Lord and struggled to get to her feet. It wasn't until she stood that she felt the pain of what he'd done. Lily gently touched her stomach and felt the heat. She looked down and spotted blood saturating her clothing and flowing between her fingers. Fear swam within her.

Renard stepped forward causing her to look up. His brows were pulled together as he examined the young woman in front of him.

"Lily," he said softly.

"He shot me." She mumbled. Like before, her vision pulsed and turned black.

Renard rushed for her the moment she crumbled. Nick jogged for them. When he heard the gunshot that came from Maxwell, he'd made his way to the main floor to try and help. He hesitated when he saw her.

Without hesitation, Renard lifted her into his arms and barked orders at Nick to follow They had to get her to a hospital.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Lily was out of surgery. She was asleep under heavy sedation in her hospital bed. She didn't know she had visitors.

Renard stood near the end of her bed, staring silently at the young woman hooked up to all manner of machines. He'd been there for awhile, but Nick had left for a bit. He'd just returned only a few moments ago.

"So," he muttered as he looked at the very human young woman. "That's what a Maahes looks like."

"More or less." Renard answered.

He didn't want to get into the specifics of her condition, but Nick seemed to know. Like with Renard, she was only half Wesen which meant her features weren't as all consuming as the others. Renard was half Zauberbiest which meant only half of his face was twisted like his mother's when he woged. So, as it was with him, she wasn't entirely changed. While her features were incredibly feline, she didn't look like others Nick had seen before. Still, she had fur, fangs, and claws. It was enough for the Grimm to make him uncomfortable and just a little more than confused.

"I thought they were indestructible."

"Two hundred years ago, perhaps." He said. Renard could practically feel Nick's confusion, an emotion that was verified when he glanced to the man at his side. "Their skin is thick, but not impenetrable. Arrows, spears, even muskets, had no affect on them, but weaponry evolved and they didn't. A direct hit with any higher caliber bullet is enough to penetrate their skin. Maxwell shot her with a .45."

Nick nodded absently to himself. Renard's explanation made sense. The way he explained things made it sound like a Maahes skin was similar to a Kevlar vest, able to repel most but not all attacks. And again, Lily was only half Wesen anyway.

~!~

It had been nearly a week since Lily's admission to the hospital. She been through her surgeries and was finally stable afterwards to the point they removed the mass of wires, tubes and all other manner of instrument from her. At the moment, she was lying in the bed with nothing more than the little pads on her chest connecting her to a heart-monitor. Other than that, Lily was finally left to breathe on her own and no longer had antibiotics and solutions pumping into her arms.

Her head ached, but this time it was different. This was the kind of headache you got when you were hung over, or slept for too long. This wasn't the all consuming migraines she'd been used to. With a groan, Lily forced her eyes open and immediately regretted it. The blinds were open letting in the bright sunlight which bounced effortlessly off the stark white walls of her room and seared her retinas. Reaching for the thin blanket covering her body, Lily pulled it over her eyes. It barely helped.

The sound of her heart-monitor beeping loudly alerted the staff outside. For the passed five days Lily's room had been primarily silent, so the new sound was worrisome. The nurse dashed in and found the hulk beneath the blanket. She raised a curious brow and approached.

"Miss Quinn?" she asked softly.

"Sun…" Lily groaned from beneath her cover.

The nurse smiled to herself and immediately went to the window. She snapped the plank-styled blinds shut. The room wasn't blacked out, but a great deal darker than before.

"It should be safe now."

Lily tentatively pulled the blankets down and the searing pain in her eyes began to wane. With a heavy sigh, she rubbed her temples.

"What's happened?" she asked in a tired, choked voice.

"You were shot." She said simply. Apparently the nurse decided to be blunt. "And you've been here ever since."

"Splendid." She muttered sarcastically.

The nurse could tell Lily wasn't in the mood for conversation and decided to simply check her status and leave. Besides, she needed to call the police and tell them the patient had woken up.

~!~

Lily was still on incredibly strong pain medication and her body was still trying to heal, so she continued to slip in and out of sleep throughout the day. During one of the short 'cat naps' Renard had mysteriously appeared. When she opened her eyes, Lily was privy to the sight of the towering man in the beige trench coat looming in front of the windows.

"Sean," she sighed.

He turned leisurely on his heel to face her. She looked so tired and paler than normal. He assumed she would given the reason for her being in the hospital, but Lily did look better than when she was admitted.

"What are you doing here?"

She seemed incapable of speaking at a normal tone. He wasn't surprised. Not only did Lily have a tube shoved down her throat for a few days to help her breathe, but the instance for her admission was a complicated one. When Maxwell shot her, the bullets took an unconventional route. They sailed upward, slicing through her liver, ruptured her right lung and broken a rib on the way out. While the wounds were relatively 'easy' for the surgeon to seal again considering the power with which the bullets tore through her (a .22 for example would have bounced around and a hollow point would have caused a great deal more damage when it mushroomed) the true injury came from the broken rib bone. It shattered the bone and the shards had shredded her lower lobe of her lung. As a result, it went through rather extensive reconstruction which was the reason she had trouble breathing and speaking.

People tended to think –because of TV and movies- that when one was shot, the injury was relatively minor. In reality, the chances of a bullet passing through a body uninterrupted were incredibly slim. Organs were packed tightly together, so a shot to the stomach was more likely to result in massive internal bleeding and surgery, than to pass through the other side without trouble.

"How much do you remember from your encounter with Maxwell?"

"You mean other than being drugged, thrown into a trunk and lashed to a chair?" she asked with a sarcastic brow raise.

Renard took a breath and let it out calmly before proceeding. He knew his actions would lead to a fight with her. He also knew he only had to weather the storm before she calmed again. Although, after seeing what she'd turned into in the warehouse, Renard was a bit apprehensive about withstanding a physical altercation if one occurred.

"I did give you the key." He told her in his typically calm voice.

"Yes," her sarcasm had become thicker. "I suppose you did."

"You and I both know it had to be realistic." He continued. "Maxwell had to believe I turned you over against your will."

"Hm," was her only response.

"What do you remember?" he asked again.

"Nothing," she replied. He cocked a suspicious brow. "Truly. I don't remember much other than being cuffed to the chair. I remembered the key you gave me and unlocking the cuffs, but…" she began to chew on her lip lightly as she lost focus in favor of trying to remember. Eventually, she shook her head and looked again to Renard. "Nothing after that."

His eyes narrowed lightly. He wasn't sure if she was being honest, or if she was actually suffering from a rage-induced blackout at the time. Neither would surprise him. He remembered the first time he woged. It was because of intense anger too and it was all consuming.

"Congratulations Lily," he finally said. "You're Wesen."

Lily's brows slowly pulled together and she narrowed her eyes on the stoic Captain. She was waiting for the punch line, he could tell. Trouble was, this wasn't a joke. Eventually, her lips began to curl into a disbelieving smile.

"I know you're not one for jokes, but honestly, that one isn't even very good." She said. "I'm a Grimm, Sean, not Wesen. You can't be both."

"Evidently you can." He kept his calm, even tone. "You woged."

"I don't believe you." The smile was gone.

"You don't have to." Renard began to step towards the door. He opened it and glanced to her one final time. "Nick was there too."

He stepped out and let the weighted door close behind him. Lily was left with less information and more questions as to what happened that night. Renard hadn't even told her if the Lord was dead or not. She wasn't Wesen… Lily was _not_ Wesen. You couldn't be both… you just… no! She wasn't Wesen.

~!~

Two days later Lily was allowed to go home, but not to drive herself. Somehow, Renard was chosen for the task. She didn't know why he was there, or why the hospital continued to call him, but he was the one to take her home. While it annoyed her, Lily was heavily medicated.

She hadn't said anything as she was rolled out of the hospital in her wheelchair, or when Renard had to put her in the car. She still hadn't said anything as they made their way down the freeway. The only sign he knew she was awake was her lilting head and hooded lids. She looked like she was about to pass out, but not quite there yet.

He was fine with the silence.

When they pulled up to her apartment building, Renard helped Lily out of his SUV. She leaned on him more than either would likely ever admit, and had trouble getting her feet under herself. Given the large height difference and his discomfort with the situation he found himself in, Renard decided to hasten the walk to her apartment. Lily barely registered being taken off her feet and lifted into the air. She only knew she was suddenly weightless and curled against the warmth beside her.

Renard glanced down to the woman he held in his arms. Lily –suddenly looking so lost and broken- curled against his chest and hid herself partially beneath his open trench. He cocked a single brow and fought the flutter in his stomach. The sensation felt oddly like 'caring' or 'sadness', two emotions he lamented and wasn't going to abide.

On his way to her floor, Renard garnered confused glances for obvious reasons. He paid them no attention, nor did he bother meeting the curious stare of the couple in the elevator with him as he rode it in silence.

When he reached her floor, Renard was suddenly aware he'd have to set Lily down in order to get into her apartment. He tensed his jaw in agitation. Her keys were in her purse –which was draped fashionably over his shoulder- giving him no access so long as he held her. Thankfully, one of her neighbors came out into the hall only a moment or two after he'd reached her door. With a kind voice, Renard asked for help which was freely given. He thanked the neighbor and stepped inside, grateful he didn't have to deal with maneuvering the drugged Lily.

She didn't know when she'd fallen asleep, only that she was lying on something soft and the warmth was leaving her. She gripped it tighter. Renard –who was obviously still awake and coherent- jerked when he tried to stand. He was stopped by the small hand clinging to his lapel. He sighed to himself as he took her hand in his and began to peel her fingers off. That seemed to rouse Lily completely.

She opened her eyes, released the man hovering above her and looked around. She seemed confused at first, but recognized her own bedroom quickly.

"I'm home?" she mumbled.

"Yes," he said as he stood upright again. "Sleep."

Renard turned to leave. He made it to the threshold when she spoke again.

"Thank you, Sean." she said. He hesitated and turned just enough to see her over his shoulder. Lily's eyes were closed again as she tugged a throw blanket over her body. "You kept your word."

And at the end of that single breath, she was asleep again. Renard remained in the doorway for a moment. He didn't know why he lingered –he was fairly certain she wouldn't wake again- but he did. Eventually, he managed to force his feet to move and left, leaving a note he had her house keys and locked the door behind him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Lily awoke completely when her medication had worn off. Almost the same instant, in fact. The pain was incredible.

She looked around frantically for something to make it stop, but there was nothing. She hadn't filled her prescriptions yet and was suffering for it now. With short breaths because it was all she could muster, Lily rolled off her bed and dug into her nightstand. The relief she felt at finding the tonic Rosalee had made her was fleeting. Popping off the top, Lily immediately drank the drops she was permitted. The urge to swallow the contents whole was almost overwhelming, but she managed to stave off the desire and only took what was recommended. It tasted awful without the tea…

~!~

News spread quickly throughout the Grimm's friends as to what he'd seen Lily do. He couldn't help it. Nick knew what he saw and thought it was completely impossible, so it was hard to keep to himself. Juliette was in disbelief, the same as Nick.

"Oh," Nick chimed as he and Hank were ready to leave the Spice Shop. Monroe and Rosalee waited for him to speak, but noticed Nick glance uncertainly to his partner. They both seemed to share the same uncomfortable thought.

"What?" Monroe asked as a pit grew in his stomach. It never tended to bode well when they looked at each other like that.

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but found words lacking. He wasn't sure how to begin the conversation. Did he warn them about Lily? Did he flat out tell them what he'd seen? Was it his place? All of those questions and more swam through his mind and while he was frozen as he thought of what to say, the rest of the world continued to move.

Perhaps he should have said something sooner.

The bell above the door dinged as a customer walked in. The four shifted to make themselves look as natural as possible until they spotted who'd entered. Hobbling and favoring one side more than the other, Lily made her way into the shop. Nick immediately tensed and took wide steps away from her, something the others noticed, but didn't speak on.

It took Lily a few steps to notice the room was filled with more than the proprietors and when she had, she looked as nervous and apprehensive as Nick and Hank. They each tried to avoid the others' eye for as long as possible, but also keep it from being noticeable. They failed.

"Detectives," she greeted as politely as she could.

"Lily," Nick said. Hank simply nodded.

When he looked at her again, Nick was able to see her odd stance and noticed how pale she still was as well as the sling around her shoulder to keep her arm in place. While she hadn't been shot in the shoulder, the surgery to repair her lung left an incision along the back of her shoulder. The doctors thought it best to keep it immobile until the stitches and muscle healed.

"Oh my god," Rosalee said in a caring voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she lied. "I'd just like to get some more painkilling herbs, please."

"Sure." She nodded.

Rosalee already knew what worked best with Lily, so she went to retrieve it quickly.

"Painkillers?" Nick asked. "Didn't they give you some at the hospital?"

He didn't mean to ask so bluntly and reveal he knew more than the others, but the question came out before he could stop it. Monroe's head tilted a bit at the declaration while Rosalie paused in the middle of pulling a jar from the shelves to look at Lily. Her attention was on Nick.

"Conventional medications don't work as well as they should with me and those that do don't last long." She admitted. "Herbal always seems to work the best."

Nick nodded slowly.

"May I ask," Rosalee approached the counter to set down the jar. "What happened?"

Lily hesitated to answer. She was uncomfortable and shifted on her feet because of it. Nick –again and without meaning to- spoke before he thought. He just assumed Rosalee needed to know for the herbs she'd choose and knew Lily had nothing to be ashamed of.

"She was shot." He answered.

Rosalee let out a soft gasp while Monroe muttered his _oh my god._

"Are you okay?" Monroe asked, now eying her stance and sling with new eyes.

"I'm fine." She told them again. Now they could hear the lie, but didn't want to press. In the stretching silence –which lasted seconds despite feeling infinitely longer- Lily found herself looking at the only other Grimm in the room. He met her stare with the same apprehension. She remembered what Renard told her and it made the question bubble in her throat before she could stop it. "Sean," she cleared her throat and lowered her voice. "Sean said," Lily found the words difficult. Nick shoved his hands in his pockets as he waited for her to ask whatever she was going to ask. He had a feeling he knew already. "He said that I… did I…" He didn't speak. For a moment, Nick didn't know if she'd ask if she killed Maxwell or asked about the more unnerving situation. She whispered thought it didn't truly help in the presence of a Fuchsbau and Blutbad. "Did I v-"

The best she could manage was to get out the V sound and little more. She found the question almost too ridiculous to ask and even laughed uncomfortably because of it. She shook her head and straightened herself.

"Never mind." She said, waving her hand dismissively. But Nick already heard her.

His brows came together. He didn't notice anyone else in the room –and honestly neither did she for a moment- which was what let the conversation go on for longer than it should have.

"Woge?" he asked simply in his natural volume. Lily's attention snapped back to him. She noticed his saddened but confused expression and felt hers begin to mirror it. "Yeah," he nodded. Her brows began to pull together. "You did."

Lily slowly began to shake her head. Soon, it became a more 'demanding' motion, as though doing it would make his statement untrue. She began to mutter _no_ under her breath and all but refused to look at anyone for a few minutes. Eventually, they heard her sniff. Lily wiped the back of her free hand across her cheeks and looked up to see everyone staring at her. Her eyes fell to Rosalie.

"Never mind." She said. "I'll… I'll simply use what the doctor's have given me. Good afternoon."

And without a glance or word to anyone else, Lily left the shop as quickly as she could. The room was thick with tense silence. Nick sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Lily was just beginning to cry before she left and struggling to do her best to keep the tears back, but she hadn't succeeded. He could tell what he told her wasn't something she wanted to hear.

"I'm sorry," Monroe finally said. The others turned to him, though his focus was solely on Nick. "But did you just say she _woged_?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah," he replied.

"She woged?" Rosalee repeated.

Again, Nick nodded.

"Really?" Monroe pressed. The two Wesen seemed to have trouble wrapping their minds around what they were hearing which bothered Nick. He'd hoped they'd have his answers, but it didn't seem they would. "Oh wow," he mumbled. Monroe leaned against the countertop and looked to Rosalee. "I didn't even know that was possible. Did you?"

"No," she said shaking her head gently. "I mean, I would have thought one side would cancel the other out. I can't believe this," she soon began to mimic his stance against the countertop. "And so late in life, too."

"Right," he nodded. "She's what… thirty? Give or take?" he looked at Nick who shrugged. "Regardless, that's _really_ late to be woging for the first time."

"Did something bring it on?" Rosalee asked the detective. "Something really stressful, or emotional?"

He opened his mouth to speak again, but this time found himself keeping the words at bay. He wasn't sure it was his place and said as much. Besides, he would be telling the others that Lily had murdered someone, a Royal no less, and didn't want to divulge something like that. So he kept it as vague as possible.

"She found out some stuff about her parents." He said simply.

Rosalee and Monroe seemed to realize the implications.

"So something _very_ stressful and emotional." Rosalee replied. Nick nodded. "Wow, so you actually saw a Maahes."

"What does it look like?" Monroe asked.

Their fascination with the old-world Wesen took over. Nick was more comfortable with describing that than anything else that happened in the warehouse.

~!~

When he took her keys, Renard left Lily's car keys. She'd locked her door when she left for the Spice Shop and now had to make her way to the police station for the rest. Honestly, at this point, she just wanted to take a bunch of her drugs and go to bed.

As she walked through the precinct towards Renard's office, Lily was nudged by someone trying to fit through the door the same time she was. The officer hit her shoulder, her injured shoulder and it caused pain to shoot through her. The hit would have normally been nothing, easily shaken off and ignored, but not now. Blinding hurt radiated through her and immediately took her breath away. She gasped and fell against the doorway. Her vision pulsed between black and spots as her shoulder, side and head throbbed. The poor officer who passed her felt horrible for what he'd done when he noticed her reaction, but his words were little more than a buzz in her ears.

Renard was returning to his office from the copy machine a few yards away and noticed the exchange. He saw the color flee Lily's face and noticed tears immediately well in her eyes. He set his paper's down in favor of grabbing her before her weakening knees finally gave out.

"Come on," he said softly after dismissing the apologetic cop.

She didn't hear him, but felt the Captain lace her free arm over his shoulder. He guided her to his office ignoring the stares of his employees. He set her gently into a seat. Lily was still focused on forcing the pain down when Renard left to retrieve his papers, returned to his office, closed the door and poured her a drink. She hadn't noticed any of it until she saw him offering her a glass of water.

"Here," he said.

She looked up through teary lashes to see him leaning against his desk in front of her with the glass. His face showed as much 'caring' as she assumed he was capable. She took it.

"Cheers," she muttered before taking a sip.

Renard stepped around desk. He pulled open his top drawer and retrieved her keys.

"I assume this is what brought you here?" he asked knowingly.

Lily nodded. Her breathing had slowed if not returned to normal and she was leaning back in her seat as much as her injured form could allow.

"I would like to get back into my home again, yes." She replied as he handed them over. When she had them again, Renard returned to his seat. "What happened, Sean?"

"You still can't remember?"

She shook her head. Lily propped her elbow on the arm of the chair and buried her face in her hand.

"It comes in bits." She said. "But no, not really."

"Maxwell's gone." He said simply. "As well as his body guards."

"That's nice." She replied airily. The carefree tone made him smirk lightly to himself. "Is he the last?"

Renard didn't immediately speak. He felt he knew what she was asking and it caused him pause. When he still hadn't answered, Lily looked up at him lazily and waited.

"I don't know." He said honestly. "I don't know who –if anyone- he told about coming here."

"I suppose it's too much to hope that they'll simply think he's disappeared."

"Probably." He nodded. "That's why I had him and his bodyguards taken elsewhere."

She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, hoping he'd tell her more.

"Unfortunately, it seems Lord Maxwell will suffer a car accident while visiting San Francisco." He told her easily.

"Are there any survivors?" she asked with a lighthearted hint of sarcasm.

"Unlikely." He said without a break in conversation. "It looks as though the car ignited after careening off a cliff side."

"How awful."

"Tragic."

Her lips began to curl into a smile and soon his did too. Perhaps musing over three men's deaths was something most would find disgusting, but given what Maxwell had done to her, Lily had a hard time caring. Still, Lily was impressed with his skill and readiness to help her. There was no way she couldn't be.

Realizing things she was, Lily cleared her throat. She looked down and picked lazily at the ugly blue fabric draped over her arm. He noticed the odd behavior and knew they were dangerously close to being civil. It made him sit a bit straighter in his seat.

"Thank you," she said finally. Lily daringly looked back up at Renard. "You promised me soon, and that's what you gave me. Thank you."

Renard wanted to say something sarcastic to lighten the heart-felt moment that he knew they were both uncomfortable with, but the best he could do was nod. It seemed to be the right response, but Lily didn't seem to be finished. He noticed her moving uncomfortably again.

"And about…" she hesitantly met his blank stare. "The rest,"

Renard took a deep breath and sank into his seat until he was comfortable. He knew what she was asking.

"About being Wesen?" he asked, she nodded. "What do you want to know?"

She felt foolish having to ask anything given how she was raised, but neither parent had been around long enough to really teach her how to cope with what she was. They gave her a brisk summary of being a Grimm or Wesen, but since neither knew what she'd be, neither went in depth in their explanations and now she seemed to be suffering for it.

"Anything, honestly." She said. Lily glanced around and scratched her temple nervously before admitting, "I'm actually a bit terrified, right now."

She let out a soft laugh to try and defuse the situation, but Renard wasn't fooled. He knew how she felt. He'd been the same, but had his mother to help him with it. They didn't know if he'd be Wesen or not either, but again, he had someone there to guide him through the uncertainty, Lily didn't. Not anymore, at least.

"You should be." He said bluntly, drawing her eye in the process. "There's a reason Wesen going through the transition are so unpredictable. Being older, it'll be a bit easier, but not much. You're an animal, now."

"Thanks for softening the blow, Sean, truly." She told him with thick derision.

"I'm not going to hold your hand, Lily."

"Clearly."

"You're not a child." He said simply. "And you know better than most what Wesen are capable of."

She openly rolled her eyes. It was the best way Lily could try and make it seem like his words hadn't unnerved her as much as they had.

"Well, not that this hasn't been lovely, but," Lily pushed herself up to her feet and wavered slightly. The blood had rushed from her head. She recovered quickly, however. "I think I'd better take my leave."

He said nothing as she walked out of his office. Renard watched her until she'd turned the corner into the hall and disappeared completely. He sighed to himself and went back to work. How much he wished things would go back to the way they were before Lily came to Portland. She was a complexity added to his already complicated life.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

The knock at her door made Lily tense. She rose slowly to answer it, shuffling because her body was stiff from only being able to sleep in one uncomfortable position. She groaned softly to herself before reaching the door. Making sure her robe was tied tightly around her body, Lily opened the door. She was shocked at who she saw on the other side.

"Rosalee," her voice betrayed her surprise. "What… what can I do for you?"

"Hi," she greeted nervously. "I hope you don't mind, but I got your address from Nick."

Lily wondered briefly how the detective would have known, only to realize Renard probably told him. Besides, it wasn't as though she hadn't been processed in the police station before.

"Is there something you needed?"

"I brought you this." Rosalee produced a paper bag.

Lily nodded uncertainly.

"Please," she opened the door wider and stepped to the side. "Come in."

Rosalee smiled kindly and stepped into the apartment. She moved uncomfortably considering what she was doing, but Lily didn't notice. She was still a little surprised the young woman braved a visit to a –more or less- complete stranger's home.

"So," Lily said as she crossed her arms over her chest, both to keep her robe snug around her and help prop up the weak limb. "What have you brought me?"

Rosalee moved towards the bar dividing the kitchen and living room. She opened the paper bag and began to pull out bits and pieces as though it were her sack lunch.

"I thought you might need these." She said as she splayed out the bag's contents. "These two," she pointed to two smaller paper bags. "Are teas and this is just a few pieces of Valerian Root for you to chew on or steep in some of your own tea whenever you need a little bit of relief."

Lily smiled softly at the display. She looked to Rosalee.

"Thank you." She said with enough sincerity Rosalee felt it. "You didn't have to do this, so thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled kindly. "Besides," she hesitated briefly. "You left before I could give you anything."

"Yes, well…" Lily held her arms to her chest tighter than before.

Rosalee took a half step forward. She tentatively reached out and gently rested her hand on Lily's folded arms. It caused the young woman to look up and see Rosalee staring back at her sadly.

"Are you okay?"

Lily didn't know why, but she felt her walls begin to crumble. She was scared, confused and Rosalee was showing her kindness. Rosalee looked as though she was honestly worried for Lily and that seemed to be enough for her to open up.

"I don't know what's happening." Lily admitted. Her eyes began to tint pink. "This shouldn't be possible, but I did… I woged… But I'm not supposed to be Wesen. I'm a Grimm, I can't be Wesen too."

Rosalee's brows came together tightly. Her overwhelming need to be kind and caring took over. For some reason, she felt compelled to console Lily despite hardly knowing her.

"Come on," Rosalee tenderly took Lily's shoulders into her hands (she didn't want to hurt her) and guided her into one of the nearest chairs. "What would you like to know?"

Lily's brows came together as she looked at Rosalee. She didn't understand the offer and the Fuchsbau could tell. Again, Rosalee smiled warmly.

"About being Wesen, what would you like to know?" she clarified.

When confronted with someone who seemed to genuinely want to help, Lily's brain was suddenly flooded with questions. She wanted to know everything, but at the same time nothing. Admitting what she was seemed to make it more _real_ and Lily wasn't sure she wanted that just yet. But there was something she had to know.

"How do I keep from…" Lily found herself struggling slightly.

"Woging?"

"Right." She nodded. "How do I keep from doing that?"

Rosalee could tell Lily didn't want to admit what she –apparently- was just yet. She wasn't offended. Rosalee remembered how scary it was for her to transition and she was raised in a family of Wesen. Lily was on her own and had thought she was just a Grimm.

"Just stay calm." She said simply. "Until you can control it, just try to stay calm. We tend to woge when we get excited."

Lily found herself nodding along with the explanation. She already knew that. She already knew an easy way to get Wesen to show themselves was to piss them off, but her prior knowledge seemed to go out the window now that she was on the other side of the line.

"I can do that." She said. "I can do that."

Rosalee found herself nodding too as though she was silently reassuring the frightened young woman. She was giving Lily the consolation Renard was incapable of, and it helped. Not a great deal, true, but it helped nonetheless.

~!~

Being an adult isn't fun. It sucks, in fact. It is one of the most boring, tedious things a good portion of the time. While being an adult may give you freedoms like driving, going to bed whenever you want or eating chocolate cake for breakfast, it had limitations too. Like with a car, you were the one who had to pay to keep it up. You could go to bed late, but then you'd have to wake up early for work. If you ate chocolate cake for breakfast, you were going to get fat. Every fun thing adults could do had some awful limitation, just like living alone. Living alone could be wonderful, until you need help.

Lily didn't have anyone to bring her food when she was hungry. She didn't have anyone to help her move when she had to do something, or have someone to simply do it for her. And she didn't have someone to check her mail… Mail… fun. It had been nearly a week since she'd been home and it barely felt like she was healing, and she still had to be an adult.

In her building, the mailboxes were in the lobby in a side corridor not too far from the elevators. So, still hobbling a bit and gnawing on a small piece of Valerian Root Rosalee had given her, Lily made her way down the hall so she could check her mail. She grumbled angrily the entire way. Every time her left foot touched the ground, she felt the vibrations of the step course through her. Her injury was simply too new. In a few days she'd be better and walking wouldn't hurt, but until then… after all, she had over a hundred stitches holding her together. How couldn't it hurt?

The elevator dinged when it reached the lobby. She stepped out, tensing her jaw repeatedly against the root in her cheek and ignoring the stares she garnered for wearing her robe and slippers into the lobby. She shuffled across the marble floor so she didn't have to feel the vibrations of her walk and retrieved the mail in her box. Bills, another fun product of being an adult.

As she made her awkward way back to the elevator –looking more like a homeless woman than she realized- Lily didn't notice she was being followed.

"Should you really be out of bed?" a familiar, deep voice asked from behind. Lily didn't even have to turn to know it was Renard. His voice was too distinctive not to immediately recognize.

"Bills wait for no man." She said as she sarcastically waved her mail in the air while he followed behind. When the doors opened, the pair stepped inside. She glanced to him out of the corner of her eye and he did the same. "Do you only own that single coat? Can't you afford a second?"

"Fashion advice from a woman who looks like she's hoarding a hundred cats in her apartment?" he shot back without hesitation. Renard looked down at her when they reached her floor and cocked a single brow. "Really?"

She scoffed a laugh under her breath and together they exited when they reached her floor.

"What are you doing here, Sean?" she asked. While most people would be glad for the company, Renard and Lily didn't have that kind of friendship. Generally, one needed something from the other.

"I came to see how you were feeling." He replied.

The answer was so unexpected, Lily stopped in her trek. Renard had taken a step further before realizing she wasn't at his side. He turned to see her staring at him suspiciously. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"It is possible." He told her simply.

"In what universe?" she mumbled sarcastically.

But, she began to walk again. As she and Renard rounded the corner toward her apartment, Lily noticed a maintenance man walking along placing a flyer on each door. It wasn't entirely uncommon, but she knew whatever announcement was being made was likely going to be an irritating one. They generally were.

Renard made it to her door before she did and glanced at the flyer left behind. His brows slowly climbed. She wasn't going to be happy. Sure enough, when Lily saw it, she was livid.

"Are you _bloody_ kidding me?" she exclaimed as she snatched the brilliant yellow piece of paper off her door knob. "I do not need this right now." She growled. Lily violently shoved her door open in her rage.

The flyer read:

_Dear Residents,_

_We regret to inform you that you will have to vacate the property by tomorrow evening. A recent inspection has revealed a termite infestation. This matter is being resolved immediately, but due to the chemicals, the building will have to be tented for the next week. We apologize for the inconvenience._

_~Management_

She was still seething when she threw the thin piece of paper onto her kitchen counter. Renard said nothing, but understood the anger. He knew leaving your home was irritating enough, but they could have done better than a single day's notice. Surely there must have been families living in the building. And for some reason, because of it and her current situation, Renard felt himself leaning in a direction he never assumed he would.

Lily was busy talking to herself, angrily saying how she'd have to book a hotel room which was only a bigger pain in the ass now given her current health when Renard felt the words leave his lips before he could stop them.

"You can stay with me."

The offer surprised them both, but Renard managed to keep the expression from his face. Lily, on the other hand, was a bit shocked and showed him as much when she looked up from her laptop.

"Beg pardon?" she asked after a moment.

Renard –despite wondering what the hell he was doing- kept his exterior calm.

"You can stay with me." He repeated.

"Why?"

He cocked a brow.

"Would you rather pay for a hotel for the next week?"

She narrowed her eyes on him.

"I'm not certain."

Renard rolled his eyes at her.

"If you don't want to accept the offer, then don't."

The way he spoke sounded final and worried Lily enough she answered before thinking better of it.

"No," she said quickly before calming. "I'd… like that, thank you."

Renard nodded.

"You might as well pack now."

Lily's eyes slowly shifted to her bedroom. She took a deep breath and sighed, but nodded. Heaving herself up, Lily made her way to the bedroom.

Renard surprised himself that he offered to let her stay with him. Perhaps he was feeling nostalgic? Perhaps he was having flashbacks of the little thirteen-year-old girl who'd gone to his mother for help, and now that she was broken again, he offered aid? He didn't know, but he'd shared a dwelling with Lily before for a few weeks, and the cabin was a great deal smaller than his apartment. He'd be able to survive a week, so long as nothing strange happened.

While she packed, Renard paced lazily within her living room. He waited perhaps ten minutes before Lily emerged again, pulling a rolling suitcase behind her awkwardly. He watched silently as she set it down, unzipped it again, and began to dump more into it. He wondered briefly if she was aware her underwear was there for him to see freely, but she evidently didn't care. And she didn't. Lily doubted it was the first instance he'd seen lacey panties and bras. Instead, she began to toss the herbs Rosalee had brought her into the suitcase followed by an impressive amount of medical supplies. He wasn't sure why so many bandages were in the kitchen, but assumed it was because she didn't have the room in her bathroom.

"Do you really need that many bandages?" he asked when there was a decent layer of gauze in the suitcase, whiting out everything beneath it.

"You wouldn't bother asking if you'd seen what they did." She replied.

After tossing the last package of gauze into her bag, Lily unplugged her cell phone charger (tossed that in haphazardly) then repeated it with her laptop charger. He grabbed her computer since it was beside him, closed it and handed it off. Lily slipped it into her suitcase and zipped it up. When she lifted the object, she grunted lightly under the new weight. Renard swooped in and took it from her. He didn't need her ripping her stitches because of something stupid like a suitcase. He'd never hear the end of it.

Without a word, he headed for the door. Lily followed, grabbed her purse, phone and keys on the way before suddenly pausing. Renard noticed and waited. Lily quickly dipped into her bedroom and returned with a little wooden box in her hands. He recognized it as the one that held all of her family mementoes. Still silent, he opened the door, guided the suitcase out and held it open for her. Lily gave him a slight nod of thanks as she exited. When the door closed, she locked it and together they left.

~!~

Things had settled down by the time the sun had set. Renard had business to attend to and left Lily alone in his apartment. He wasn't sure why he trusted her not to steal his things, but he did. Honestly, he probably trusted the young woman more than most and the answer was so simple, he was sure it had to be something else. He trusted her because –unlike most- Lily didn't bother with lies and manipulation. She was capable –he'd seen and heard it in action- she just didn't care to do it to people she knew. There was something refreshing in that. Yes she'd told him she'd kill him and tried before, but she went for the throat. She didn't try to stab him in the back.

When he came home tired and ready for a drink, Renard noticed Lily wasn't anywhere to be seen. In fact, it didn't even look like he had anyone in his apartment. After he'd given her the guest room, he assumed she might have branched out, maybe watched television or gotten herself something to eat, but there was no evidence anyone other than him had been in the apartment. He didn't even see her cell phone, keys or purse, things he'd assume she'd leave by the door like she did at her place.

His brows came together as he set his things down and went in search of the person he thought he was sharing his roof with. He didn't hear anything, no running water, no talking, nothing. It was unnerving. As he stepped down the hall (his room at the end and the guest bedroom beside it) Renard noticed the guest bathroom door was ajar and the light was on. It was the first door he'd pass and easily seen. Curious, he stepped close enough to see through the half-open door.

Lily was standing with her back to the mirror and her thinly strapped shirt pulled down around her waist. Her chest and back were bare, but at her angle he couldn't see anything indecent. What he did see, however, was what the doctors had done to her.

Scars among people in their lives weren't unheard of, so the few she had were to be expected, but Renard could see the damage left in Lord Maxwell's wake. A surgical gash stretched from the back of her ribcage –just below her shoulder blade- and wrapped around it before ending beneath her arm. It was a substantial wound that would leave an angry scar. Considering the advancement in technology, he was a little shocked a mark so large had to be created. It made him wonder how much internal damage Maxwell's bullets had caused.

At the moment, Lily was struggling to dry the wound. It was clear she'd removed the soiled bandage and washed her injury, but now she was struggling to dry it so she could put a new bandage on it. The sight of the pink flesh, the scabbed injury and the black threads keeping it shut made his stomach drop. It was a gut wrenching sight, honestly.

Again feeling the strange desire to help the little broken girl, Renard stepped into the bathroom. Lily immediately wrapped her arms around her chest to shield her from the violation. She was angry and embarrassed and ready to start yelling, but noticed something beforehand. Renard hadn't looked at her. His attention was on the medical supplies, not her. Her confusion deepened when he reached for the cloth she'd been trying to dry her stitches with.

Renard said nothing as he took the rag and guided her with his free hand. He gently pushed against her uninjured shoulder until her back faced him entirely. Lily was about to ask what he planned to do until she felt the rag against her back. She winced. Renard glanced up, but she never told him to stop, so he didn't. As tenderly as he could, Renard dabbed away the left over moisture from her back. Eventually, her shoulders relaxed and she let him do whatever he was doing. She let him help.

When the moisture was gone, Renard tossed the rag into the trashcan nearby and reached for the square gauze pads. With practiced and quick movements, he opened the first package and pressed it to her back. Lily gasped and tensed again, but he didn't stop. Watching her to see if she wanted him to, Renard continued to gently press the self-adhesive pad to her skin. Lily slammed her eyes shut as she endured the pain of it because she knew there was another one that needed to be used. The incision was too big for just one.

After the first was in place, Renard opened the second and repeated the action. Lily gasped again, but this time it was mixed with a light whimper of pain. Still he persisted. It was almost over and both knew it, so she took the pain of it until he was done. When he finished, Renard gently wrapped his hand around her shoulder, squeezed it briefly and left. As he walked away, she pulled her shirt back on and began to clean up the mess left behind.

They didn't have to talk, which was nice. He knew she needed help so he offered without being asked and he knew she was thankful for it. Neither had to waste their words saying things that both understood.

When he made his way to his bedroom that night, Renard glanced into Lily's open door. She was sitting on the guest bed reading. She must have sensed he was there and glanced up. They said nothing for a moment.

"Goodnight." She said simply.

"Goodnight." He replied.

That was all either said to one another since Renard picked her up and told her she could have the guest room and it was all that needed to be said.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

It had been two days since Lily came to stay with Renard and she was feeling better. So far, nothing strange had happened. There were no Verrat or Council members hunting her like last time. And for him it was simply like having a guest, nothing more. And even then, sometimes it felt like she wasn't even there. Despite seeing her and briefly speaking to her, Lily left no footprint. It was odd.

When he came home from work, Renard was surprised to see her in the living room. She was sitting on his couch, leaning against the overstuffed cushions and favoring one side with her feet stretched out beside her. She was reading a book from his shelves. When she heard him, she looked up. Lily noticed a paper bag with a Chinese symbol in his hands. She cocked a single brow.

"Hungry?" he asked as he set the takeout on the counter in his kitchen.

Lily nodded, set the book down and got to her feet. Renard moved into the entryway to remove his coat, gun and badge. He caught sight of Lily walking. Her gate had more confidence than before which meant she was healing well enough. And she was. Walking didn't hurt as much as before. While her back was tender, it wasn't constantly aching, and the herbs helped too.

She began to pull out the small white containers from the bag and set them down as he returned. While she unpacked, he popped open each lid to show what lay within. It was a nice assortment of noodles, rice and meat. He found his spicy pork and nearly began searching for a fork when Lily handed him chopsticks. She was still absently searching the bag as she held them up.

"I prefer a fork. Thank you." He told her in his usual emotionless voice.

"How very _in-authentic_ of you, Sean." She replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"This is a four hundred dollar shirt." He said as he found a fork. "I'd rather not get anything on it."

"Then get the food into your mouth."

He raised a brow at her. Lily seemed to notice and looked up. She gave him a curt, sarcastic grin before returning to the bag to retrieve the last of the sauces that had been tossed in.

He rolled his eyes at her comment before noticing her back. Lily had taken to wearing –almost exclusively- the thinly strapped night-shirts without a bra. It wasn't that she was trying to be provocative, only that the shirts were the easiest to wear and a bra would rub against her injury. Besides, she wore her robe the majority of the time anyway. She just didn't happen to be at the moment which gave him a glimpse of the white gauze beneath the collar of her shirt.

It made his stomach drop again. Being forced to confront the mortality of people he knew always made Renard's skin prickle.

When she found what she wanted to eat in the mass of Chinese food, Lily grabbed her chopsticks and headed for the door to their right. It led to his balcony. He didn't have a proper dining table because he rarely ate at home and never entertained, but there was a seating area on the balcony and that was apparently where Lily wanted to eat. He found himself following.

The sun had set behind the horizon, but it was still relatively light out. The sky was only just becoming purple and blue. Lily took a seat on a chaise that faced the city below. She curled her knees beneath her and leaned back as comfortably as she could. Renard took a stance against the railing, more content to stand and eat than sit, and tucked into his spicy pork. Lily did the same with her spicy beef lo mein. Evidently, Renard had a specific palate when it came to food.

They ate in silence for awhile. The only sounds were of passing cars, horns and the standard 'songs of the city'. It was nice and peaceful.

"Thank you again."

Her random statement caused Renard to turn and face her, just in time to see her take a bite of beef. She looked up through her lashes and waited until she could speak again before elaborating.

"For taking me in." she clarified. "_The wayward stray."_ She smiled softly. "We both know you can hardly stand me."

"That's not true." He replied. "I can't stand you at all."

Lily laughed and bit back a groan because of it, but her smile remained. It was the first time in a long time she'd actually let out a happy laugh, and she was grateful for it, despite the pain. Even Renard managed to smile.

They pair finished their dinner in relative silence with only a few comments back and forth. When they'd finished, Lily opted to take a shower while Renard went to his laptop to work.

~!~

"He's got too many strings." Kelly snapped as she and Nick drove towards Renard's apartment after Adalind. "Royal blood, Zauberbiest, he cannot be trusted."

"I don't trust him. I just think its better I know what he's up to."

"Yeah well, the same goes for him you know. A Grimm on his side…" she shook her head disapprovingly.

"Well, I'm not the only Grimm he knows." Nick admitted under his breath.

"What?" her head shot towards him. "There's another working with him?"

"Kind of." Nick hesitated. "Honestly, I'm not really sure what her part in all this is."

"_Her?_"

"Yeah," he sighed.

Kelly began to shake her head again. She couldn't believe everything she was being told. When her eyes moved back out onto the horizon, she spotted the truck she'd stolen previously and the one Adalind had taken from her. Nick pulled over.

~!~

Inside Renard's apartment, Adalind was helping herself to some of the Chinese food left over while Renard held the baby. Lily wasn't aware anyone had come to his apartment. She was still in the bathroom doing her best to get dressed. It wasn't until she exited in her pajamas –still in the process of drying her hair- that she realized they had company. When Lily reached the end of the hall she froze. Renard looked up at her in surprise while he continued to hold the child, Adalind's eyes were wide and no one moved. Eventually, Adalind let the surprise subside and the anger took hold.

"Seriously Sean?" she snapped at the man beside her. She began to reach for the child. "You couldn't tell me you had one of your sluts here?"

Renard exhaled a groan and felt his eyes close while Lily stared at the blond in shock.

"Beg pardon?" she asked the Hexenbiest.

"You heard me."

"Right," Lily nodded slowly. Her eyes shifted to Renard. "Well, it seems as though you need a bit of privacy, so I think I'll get dressed and give you two a few hours."

Renard nodded. Lily turned and headed back to the guest bedroom to get dressed. She wasn't going to stick around and be insulted, not when she was fairly certain she would lash out against the mother.

When Lily had left their sight, Renard looked to the blond beside him. He was clearly agitated with her, but she didn't care. Adalind assumed she had the right to be mad.

"I'm not sleeping with her, Adalind." He said tersely. There was ice in his words that made her fidget. "She's an old friend," he lied, "and she needed somewhere to stay for a couple of days."

"And you offered?" Adalind didn't bother hiding her skepticism.

Renard shook his head. He wasn't going to answer her.

When Lily reemerged, Renard had grabbed his gun from his desk. He noticed her as he approached the front door. She'd dressed quicker than he expected her to given her injury. Perhaps that was simply proof to how well she was healing. It wasn't. It was proof to how much she didn't want to be around the blond.

She cocked a brow to the sight.

"Expecting more company?" she asked sarcastically.

"Stay here." He said, avoiding her question entirely.

"Aye, aye Captain!" Lily said, even going so far as to salute him. Renard growled under his breath and rolled his eyes as he left. Lily did the same before her gaze shifted to Adalind. She gave the witch a cold, curt smile.

The two women left behind remained in silence, eying one another skeptically and all but refusing to be within ten feet one another. Lily didn't like the rude little blond and Adalind hated the stranger. But as they stared at each other, Lily realized she heard people talking in the hallway. In fact, she recognized the voices.

Nick and Renard soon came back into the apartment. Nick seemed as confused and surprised to see Lily as she was him.

"Lily… what are you doing here?" he asked the young woman with the wet hair.

"Long story short?" she asked. "My building's being tented. You?"

Nick's eyes drifted to Adalind and the baby. It drew Lily's curious attention. She noticed Renard was at the blond's side again. Lily had the feeling she knew nothing of what was happening.

"Look," Nick said to the witch. "I'm not here to hurt you, or take your baby, but my mom risked a lot to get you here, and if she hadn't-"

"I know what she did." Adalind interrupted. "What would she have done if she knew who I was?"

"Or more to the point," Nick said. "Who you are again."

Adalind let a sly, unnerving smile cross her lips.

"It is good to be back."

Her skin suddenly turned gray and decrepit like a mummy's, her hair went silver and her eyes vanished. She hissed and spit through a lipless mouth and gnashed her rotten teeth.

"You find that attractive?" Nick asked Renard. "Really?"

"Bloody Hexenbiests." Lily muttered, drawing Adalind's attention.

"Oh god," the blond exclaimed. She suddenly reverted to normal and shot back from the newcomer. Her mouth was slack. "Another Grimm? Seriously?" she smacked Renard's arm. "The hell is wrong with you?"

"Okay," Renard snapped. "We're getting off topic here."

"Look, I'm not going anywhere." Adalind told Nick. "So why don't you and your mom go home and have a nice little Grimm reunion?" she glanced sideways to Lily. "And take your freak cousin with you."

"What's the matter?" Lily taunted. "See something you didn't like?"

Adalind glowered. Lily knew –from Rosalee's explanation- that her eyes were different. They were fathomless black, but evidently her iris' glowed yellow. Knowing what she knew now, Lily assumed the gold was the Maahes part of her.

"If the Verrat know where the plane picked you up, then they're going to figure out where you went." Nick interrupted. Renard was right, they kept getting off topic. "You know the Verrat? They work for the Royal Families, just like you used to."

"What?" Lily growled through her teeth.

No one said anything to her. Renard simply looked down at the young woman and hoped she wouldn't do what he assumed she might.

"And you don't think they're going to know about your relationship with her?" he asked Renard. Nick was in favor of getting everything out as quickly as he could considering they likely didn't have much time. "And then get the job with GQRN Industries, owned by the Royal Families." Adalind began to shift under the angry gaze of the Captain. "The best chance you and your baby have right now, is for us to work together. I don't like it anymore than you do, but it's not like we have much choice here." He looked from one of them to the other. "Come find me when you're ready to talk."

Nick turned to leave. Lily stared at Renard. He could see her anger as well, but had his own at the moment. Shaking her head in disappointment, Lily opted to leave along with Nick. She caught up with him in the hall and traveled downstairs with the Detective.

"You're staying with Renard?"

"I was." She said freely. "After tonight, I think I'll opt for a hotel instead."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea."

"Nick," she looked to him as they road the elevator down. "What's happening?"

"Short version?" he asked, she nodded. "The Royals are after Adalind's baby."

"Why would they care about a Hexenbiest's child?"

His brows came together in confusion.

"It's the Captain's kid."

Lily couldn't hide her shock.

"He didn't tell you?"

"No. That little tidbit seemed to have escaped his attention."

Nick nodded apprehensively. He wasn't entirely certain how to proceed and simply decided not to.

They soon exited the elevator and then the building.

"Nick,"

He turned and spotted a woman clad in black hiding in the shadows. He approached with Lily at his side. Kelly noticed.

"Who's this?" she asked.

"Lily." Was all the young woman replied.

Kelly narrowed her eyes. She looked over Lily, examining everything about her, and soon spotted the locket hanging from her neck. It was something she recognized. Her eyes shot back to Lily's.

"Andrew's daughter."

It was Lily's turn to be surprised.

"What?" the word barely escaped her lips.

"I knew your father, years ago, before he met your mother." She didn't bother hiding her disgust with that statement which caused Lily to glare. "You must be the other Grimm."

"Something like that." She said evenly.

Kelly nodded shortly before giving her son her attention again. She showed Nick the badge she lifted from the man in the car. When she told the two that men were already heading for Adalind and the baby, Nick and Lily jogged to the front door while Kelly took the back. Adrenaline was a hell of a chemical. It helped her move without remembering the pain it caused. It helped her forget -just for a moment- that she didn't still have stitches in her back.

"You shouldn't be getting involved in this." Nick said as he reached for his phone to warn the Captain. "You're still hurt."

"I'm not about to let the Royals destroy another family." She told him firmly. "Even if it is that Hexenbiest's."

Nick didn't have time to argue with her. He called Renard and warned him about the assassins. Together, he and Lily jumped into the elevator again and rode it to the floor. When they exited, Renard aimed his weapon at the pair.

Everything happened so quickly after that. The first Hundjäger charged through the door to the stairs and fought with Nick. Nick spun him around just as the second took aim and fired. The second Hundjäger killed his partner instead of the Grimm. Nick fired over the shield's body, but the second Verrat ducked into the stairwell again. He didn't fair any better. Kelly was hiding there. She emerged a few seconds later after dispatching with her soldier.

"We need to go," she said. "That was hardly subtle."

"That's Verrat."

The voice twisted with rage and something else drew attention. It was Lily. It used to be Lily, at least. In the bright light of the hallway, what she was was clearly displayed.

"Jesus Christ," Kelly muttered in shock. Unlike the others, she didn't know Lily could woge.

Her human face was gone, replaced with the slender lines of a lion. Her silvery fur glittered in the light. Her lips were curled back over her –now incredibly- dangerous teeth and her eyes glowed gold. With her hair tied up loosely they could see her ears had pointed. There was no denying now that she wasn't fully human.

The growl coming from deep in her throat was purely feline and it sounded dangerous. Her shoulders were trembling with rage at the sight of the tattoo on the dead body's hand. Nick and Renard knew what might happen next.

"Lily," Renard said. She didn't hear him. "Lillian!" he snapped. Her eyes drifted up. He took slow steps forward. The last thing he needed to do was startle the animal. He reached out and took her shoulders. "Calm down."

"I don't think I can." She admitted. Her voice still crackled with the animalistic sound.

Renard reached down and took her hands. He guided them up so she could see the talons that had sprouted from her fingertips, and that her skin was now covered in fur. Strangely enough, he was surprised at how soft it was considering how strong it was supposed to be.

"Oh god," she gasped when she was finally confronted with the evidence she didn't want.

"You have to calm down." He told her again. "You can't change back until you calm down."

She felt herself nodding, but the anger at seeing more Verrat and the fear of confirming that she was Wesen were taking longer than she would have liked to subside.

"_Look at me."_ He said in French. He didn't know why he chose it, but he assumed it might help calm her down. Her mother was French, after all, and he hoped the familiarity of it would help. Her eyes slowly met his. "_Just breathe."_

Lily began to nod again. She slowed her breath down and soon her heart followed suit. She continued to look up at Renard who still held her hands. Eventually, she calmed enough the fur began to subside. Soon, it was just her. Renard gave her a gentle nod and showed Lily her hands. She breathed easier immediately.

"Where's your car?" Nick asked now that the threat of Lily losing her mind was gone.

"Downstairs, in the parking garage." Renard replied.

"Get it and meet me out front."

He nodded. Kelly and Nick bounded off back down the steps while Renard took Adalind and Lily. He hadn't released the young woman's hand even after he pressed the elevator's button.

"Are you alright?" he asked Adalind.

She nodded as she continued to cradle the baby. When the elevator dinged, he ushered the new mother in before him and pulled Lily alongside him. The agitated Captain pushed the lobby button harder than he probably should have.

"Sean," Lily finally said. He looked down at her. "You're hurting my hand."

His eyes traveled to their still-joined grips. Her fingers were turning pink. He suddenly let her go; unaware he'd been holding her hand and squeezing it too. Adalind bit the inside of her cheek and tried no to comment on it. They had more important things to worry about than Sean holding Lily's hand.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Monroe and Rosalee hadn't warmed to the fact they were being used as a boarding house, but it didn't seem like they had much choice in the matter. No one in the house had a choice. They'd all been swept up in the same all consuming storm.

Lily was lingering in the background while the others tried to figure out what to do. Adalind was as out of place as Lily was, but she had the baby to cling to.

"Okay, we're leaving." Nick said as they came into the living room.

"Wha… all of you?" Adalind stammered.

Renard nodded and stepped in front of her. He took a knee to better look her in the eye.

"It's safer if you stay here alone. There's no other way."

He looked at her sadly because he could see the fear in her eyes. Adalind struggled to say something, but she couldn't think of the words. Instead, her lip simply quivered.

Renard stood and looked to Lily who was standing near the fireplace. He walked over to her.

"I need you to stay here with Adalind." He whispered so only she could hear.

Her face fell and a single brow rose.

"You're joking." She said bluntly. Renard shook his head.

"You're still hurt." He said. "And," he hesitated.

Renard took a half step closer. Adalind hadn't seen Lily change in the hallway –she was still hiding in a crouched position- and he didn't trust the blond not to turn Lily over to the Royals if she thought it'd help her. Renard loomed over Lily to the point she almost had to crane her neck to look at him. There couldn't have been more than a foot between them, and still it didn't seem to be close enough. Renard was truly paranoid someone might overhear what he was about to say, so he leaned down to speak into her ear.

"There's still a bounty on your head through the English Royals," he whispered into her ear. "And if any of the Verrat recognized you, they may tell them you're still alive." Renard pulled back enough to look her in the eye. "Stay here, where they can't find you, and protect my daughter." Lily didn't seem thrilled, so Renard said something that rarely ever left his lips. "Please."

Lily was aware he didn't ask permission for anything and her expression showed it. Hesitantly, she began to nod. He made valid points about her being hurt and the Verrat recognizing her. Like Maxwell had said before she snapped his neck, word spread that the child of Andrew and Michelle Quinn had two different colored eyes. She tended to stand out.

"Fine." Lily muttered.

Renard gave her a parting nod then left with the others. When they were gone, Lily looked at Adalind. She immediately sighed and rolled her eyes. She wasn't happy about the babysitting job she was being stuck with.

Lily took a seat at the kitchen table, away from Adalind, and let herself relax just a bit. She was beginning to get tired.

"Would you like some tea?"

Lily jumped and looked up to see Rosalee standing beside her. She smiled warmly and Lily found herself doing the same.

"Sure." Lily said. "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she reached for another mug.

"I'm all right." Lily replied. "Just a bit tired, I suppose."

"Been a long day?" she asked with a light smile.

"And it seems to be a longer night coming."

"Yeah," Rosalee let out a weak laugh as she poured the hot water into the mug.

She approached Lily with the steaming cup and slid into the seat beside her.

"And the uh…" Rosalee glanced over her shoulder to make sure Adalind wasn't too close. "The woging?"

"There was an incident earlier." Lily admitted. "But I was able to calm down before anything happened."

"That's good. Soon, you'll be able to control it."

"I hope so." Lily said softly. She turned her mug softly from side to side and watched as the water slowly turned darker as it leached out the spices in the teabag. "This is all still a bit new."

"I know, but at least you know about this world." Rosalee seemed incapable of being anything other than kind. "I mean, your parents told you about all this stuff, and you're a Grimm, so you know about Wesen." Lily was nodding slowly. "I'll admit, it's a little trickier for our kind, but-"

"Our kind?" Lily didn't understand the phrase. "Wesen?"

Rosalee shook her head.

"Animal, Wesen." She clarified. "More specifically," she shifted a bit in her seat, "Those of us on the predatory side of it."

Lily felt a pit in her stomach.

"The ones with fangs and claws." She said.

Rosalee nodded sadly.

"It's a little easier to trigger us at first, but like I said, it does get easier."

Again Lily found herself nodding. She didn't know if she agreed with Rosalie or not because she had no way of really knowing, but she accepted the seasoned Fuchsbau's explanation. It was the best she could do.

~!~

The following night:

The plan went as well as they could have hoped considering where it was going to lead. Renard, Kelly, Nick and Lily sat in the back of the limo with Diana while Hank and Monroe were in the front. The baby still slept soundly in Kelly's arms. Renard had been staring sadly at the little baby since they'd stolen her back from Victor. It was palpable how scared and sad the new father was. After all, he'd only had his daughter for a day and now she was leaving again. He had to keep repeating to himself that it was the best thing to do.

They hardly spoke after they dumped the limo and broke apart for the night. Kelly, Nick and Hank took Diana. Monroe went home to Rosalee and Renard and Lily headed back to his apartment. She hadn't been given a chance to really leave since everything began, but she'd booked a room while she was at Monroe and Rosalee's. She only had to go back with Renard to get her things.

They were silent the entire drive back.

When they walked through the front door of his apartment it was eerily silent. Renard expected an angry Adalind to show up out of nowhere, but she didn't. She was nowhere to be seen. He didn't know if he felt safer or not with her gone. Lily broke off after making it through the door to get her things ready. Renard didn't know that was her plan until she emerged again pulling her suitcase behind her. His brows came together softly.

"You're leaving." It wasn't a question, just a simple declaration.

"Yes." She nodded.

Renard looked up and met her gaze.

"Why?"

"I shouldn't be here… for this." She said honestly. "You've Adalind staying here and after everything… I feel a bit as though I'm intruding now, so I've booked a room at a hotel for the next few days. Besides, my building will be circus-tent-free in four days."

He nodded. Renard had nothing to say and he wasn't going to ask her to remain, so he simply nodded. Lily didn't immediately leave. She watched him for a moment as he began to strip himself of his black gloves and other bits he'd worn for their caper. He looked so sad, she felt herself moving without knowing why.

Renard had tossed his gun onto the couch when she reached him. He turned just as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Renard was shocked enough by the action that he didn't immediately return the sentiment.

The stretch to hug him hurt Lily's injury. It tugged at the stitching, but she ignored it in favor of possibly consoling Renard. So she bore with the ache of it, wrapped her arms securely around his neck and squeezed. Her fingers tenderly raked against the back of his head.

"I'm sorry." She muttered into his jacket.

Renard –who'd remained frozen staring at the floor- felt his hard exterior waver. His brows twitched before pulling tightly together. His arms came up and finally threaded around Lily. He pulled her as close as possible and hugged her tighter than he should have. Lily slammed her eyes shut to keep the tears back. She wasn't crying for what happened, she was about to cry because of how hard he squeezed her back. But she didn't remark on it. Instead, she hugged him and let him do the same.

Lily continued to gently rub the back of his head with her fingernails as consolingly as she could. She didn't know if it helped, but hoped it did. Renard felt himself bury his face into the nape of her neck and squeeze her harder. His fingers bit into her back. He needed something to help steady him, but in doing so, his massive fingers dug into Lily's incision. Her reaction was instinct.

Lily cried out when his fingers dug into her stitches. It hurt a great deal more than the hug had before. Renard loosened his grip and shot back enough to see her, but didn't let go. Lily kept one hand on his shoulder while the other gently touched her forehead. Her head and body were throbbing and her world was spinning for a moment. She took one steadying breath after another to try and ebb the pain. He noticed.

"I'm sorry." He said when he realized what he'd done.

Lily forced a smile and waved her free hand dismissively.

"It's all right," she said. She sniffed and opened her eyes to finally meet his gaze. Renard saw the pink tint and noted the tears on her lashes. Still, she kept the smile as best she could. "I'm fine."

His brows pulled together tighter than before. He didn't believe her, but it was obvious Lily didn't realize how much of her pain made it to her features.

When the pain became a dull ache, Lily's mind cleared enough she could see the sadness in Renard's eyes again. It broke her heart, to be honest. He may have only been a father for a day, but that seemed to be enough for the child to leave her mark. Her smile turned endearing.

"She'll be safe." She finally said. Renard twitched again. "Your daughter, she'll be safe."

"Diana." He said. "Her name's Diana."

Lily's smile widened slightly and she nodded her approval.

"It's beautiful." She told him. "Diana will be fine. Letting her go was probably the best thing you could've done for her."

"I'm not so sure." He admitted.

Her brows pulled together and soon her expression mirrored his. She could see it, deep down in his eyes, that for a moment he was breaking. Tomorrow he'd let his cold exterior dominate his actions again, but for the moment he let himself mourn his daughter. For a moment, he looked human.

Lily felt herself reaching up and gently touched his cheek. His skin was warm. For some reason, Lily always assumed it would be icy like the rest of him.

"She deserves a life better than the one we had." She told him.

It was a heartbreaking declaration, but one he found himself agreeing with. Lily gently patted his cheek.

"Goodbye, Sean."

He nodded and let her slip out of his hold. Renard watched her walk away and heard the door close behind her. He lingered in his spot for a moment before deciding he needed a drink. He needed many drinks.

~!~

Lily made herself as 'at home' in the hotel as one could be. It was a nicer one so that wasn't the issue. The issue was that it was a hotel and she'd spent her fair amount of time in them, both nice and ones that could benefit from a match and some gasoline.

After her shower and before she went to bed, Lily took a quick look at her injuries. She hadn't dressed yet which meant they were all easy to spot. The entry wound was on her left and nestled just beneath her ribcage. When Maxwell shot her, the bullets had almost entered through the same hole. Almost. They were struggling and fighting, so the second bullet entered just an inch over from the first. Being such a large bullet, the wounds overlapped slightly and had to be sewn shut to heal. As it was, it looked closer to a stab wound than anything. Still, it looked to be healing well.

When she turned to look at her back, Lily felt her stomach fall. It always did when she looked at the extensive injury. But, like with her chest, it was healing and nearly closed completely. A few random spots along the eight inch mark were scabbed and note entirely closed, but the rest looked impressively well all things considered. She knew the week in the hospital was what really helped her. If she'd been released after being sewn up, Lily knew she'd probably have busted one or two of them since.

With them doing as well as they were, Lily decided she could sleep without covering them for the first time since arriving home from the hospital. She hadn't ha the courage until then because she was afraid she snag them on something, but now she figured they were healed enough. Besides, she couldn't really put a bandage on her back anyway. Renard had actually been helping her ever since she'd taken up residence with him.

Slipping on a shirt and shorts, Lily decided to go to bed. She was tired and her body sore. She just wanted to sleep. Everything seemed to be calming down now –why she thought that she didn't know- but it did. She didn't realize how wrong she was however. Things were far from being calm.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Lily was leaving the hospital when her phone began to ring. She'd just had her stitches taken out. Twelve days in was too long as far as she was concerned. They itched, they got caught on things and they were the Devil. But now they were gone! She was so happy.

She reached for her phone and answered it, holding it against her ear with her shoulder as she searched for her keys.

"Hello?" she greeted.

"_Lily, hey, its Nick."_ He said despite his voice being recognizable. "_I got your number from work, I hope that's okay."_

She was about to ask a stupid question. She was about to ask how if it wasn't from Renard, but she caught herself. She somehow forgot she'd been arrested for trespassing, held for assaulting the Captain and a witness when the outbreak happened. There were many instances where she'd have to give the police her contact information. Of course he could get it from work.

"That's fine." She replied. She didn't mind him having her number. Nick was an alright guy, as far as she knew. "What can I help you with?"

"_Uh,"_ he hesitated.

Lily paused. She'd already slid into her car when the single syllable left his lips and nothing else. She waited, but he continued to fumble and it bothered her. It made her think something might be wrong.

"What's the matter?" she asked in a tone that let Nick know she was worried the Royals or Verrat were back.

"_Nothing,"_ he said quickly. "_Nothing's wrong, really. I just have a favor to ask."_

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"What sort of favor?" she pressed. The word _favor_ could mean a great many things.

"_It's kind of hard to explain."_ He admitted. "_But, I was hoping you'd give me a hand with something. I have someone I want you to talk to."_

"About what, exactly?"

Nick might have thought he was explaining himself, but he was only raising more questions. And again, he began to fumble over his words. She understood why. He was about to ask someone he hardly knew –despite the events that forced their paths to cross- a favor and he was nervous about it.

"Detective," she finally said. "How about you simply ask the favor? I don't wish to be rude, but I prefer bluntness."

"_Okay,"_ he couldn't fault her for that. In fact, it made things easier. "_I met a girl yesterday. She's another Grimm and I was kind of hoping you'd talk to her a little bit."_

"I don't understand. What would you like me to say to her?"

"_Well, we're kind of trying to explain things to her. She never knew what she was, so she's still kind of confused. And I was hoping it might help having another Grimm around, help her know she's not alone."_

It was an endearing thought and one she didn't mind helping with. If the poor girl was confused about what Grimms were or needing assuring that there were others in the world, she was willing to help.

"Of course." She said with a kind smile. "When would you like me to speak with her?"

"_Now, if that's okay?"_ he said surprising her. "_Can you meet me a Monroe's?"_

"Uh, sure." She nodded. "I'll be there in a little bit."

"_Thanks."_

"Of course."

Lily hung up and started her car. She headed for the Blutbad's. She remembered where it was. After all, it had only been a few days since she'd last seen them.

~!~

Lily parked outside and jogged lightly up the porch. She'd raised her hand to knock, but the door opened first. With her eyes wide in surprise and her hand still in the air, Lily was greeted with a nervously smiling Rosalee.

"Hi," she greeted. "Come on in."

Rosalee ushered Lily into the home before she could even return the greeting. When Lily was pushed into the living room, she spotted Nick, Hank, Monroe and a girl she hadn't seen before standing around. They all looked at her. The room was thick was tension. Rosalee soon shimmied out from behind Lily and rejoined Monroe's side.

"Hello." She said uncertainly.

"Hey Lily," Nick replied. "Thanks for getting here so fast. I know this was kind of sudden. I didn't interrupt anything did I?"

"No," she stepped deeper into the room and found her spot near Hank and the fireplace. Her back was to the wall and she could see everyone. It made her more comfortable. "I was on my way out of the hospital."

"Is everything okay?" Rosalee asked.

"Just fine." She said. "I was getting my stitches removed."

The others nodded their acknowledgement.

"Stitches." The stranger repeated in a deadpan voice. "What for?"

Her dark, nearly black eyes scanned Lily looking for injury.

"I was shot." She said simply.

The stranger met Lily's two-toned eyes and nodded.

"Cool." She muttered.

"Not really." Lily replied simply. "It hurt."

The stranger smirked slightly at the sarcastic tone Lily had used.

"Lily, this is Trubel." Nick introduced. "Trubel, this is Lily and she's a Grimm too."

"Seriously?" Trubel asked. "How many of us are there?"

"Not as many as you'd think." Lily replied. "For some reason, we've all seemed to migrate to Portland, but I promise, we don't usually run in packs like this."

Trubel began to nod again. Silence stretched between them and while Trubel had already inspected Lily, it was Lily's turn to inspect Trouble. While there was nothing overly different about the girl, Lily noticed something familiar, in an off way.

"How long have you been on your own?" she asked.

Trubel looked up through her lashes, silently warning or trying to intimidate Lily, but it didn't work. Lily could see it now, as clear as day.

"What makes you think I'm on my own?" she dared as she adjusted her backpack on her shoulder.

"Forgetting the fact you didn't know you were a Grimm," she said bluntly. "It's easy to spot in someone else." Lily stared solely into Trubel's eyes. "I was thirteen."

Trubel's brows twitched together slowly. She continued to move uncomfortably on her feet.

"What happened?" she found herself asking.

"My parents were murdered." Lily said plainly.

"I'm… sorry." She muttered.

The silence and tension began to move into the air again, but it was interrupted by Nick's phone. They were being called out to a scene of some kind of murder. They took Trubel with them leaving Rosalie, Monroe and Lily alone in the house. Once the door was closed and the trio gone, both Rosalee and Monroe breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Was she that bad?" Lily teased lightly.

"That chick's like Nick's mom." Monroe replied. "She has the same weird, intense kind of vibe."

Lily laughed under her breath.

"Anyway," Rosalee said. She turned her attention to Lily. "Would you like some tea, or something?"

"Sure," Lily nodded.

Rosalee went about making them some tea while Monroe went to work fixing a watch he'd been given to repair. The two young women sat at the kitchen table like normal people would. It might have been common place for Rosalee, but Lily still found it a bit odd.

"So," Rosalee said. "How are things?"

Lily found herself laughing lightly again. It was a strange way to proceed with conversation, but also the normal way too. Still, it was just a bit strange.

"Fine," she smiled. "They're fine. How have they been for you?"

"Well, no Verrat, so that's nice." She said with a hint of sarcasm that caused Lily to smile wide.

"That's always nice."

Rosalee smiled too.

"And your stitches are out. That's good. How's the pain?"

"Mild. I'm still a bit sore and I get short of breath still, but not having to tend to them every few hours is a relief." Lily replied.

They talked for a little while and enjoyed their cups of tea. Lily found herself slipping into some kind of normalcy which was something she hadn't thought herself capable of. Until coming to Portland, Lily had more of a relationship with her clients than other people. She simply didn't have friends, not really at least. Perhaps one or two were acquaintances, but nothing more. The people in Portland were slowly becoming something more, and while she liked it, Lily found it a bit terrifying too.

~!~

The following night, Lily was surprised to receive another phone call from Nick. This time, instead of a favor, he was asking her to dinner. She thought the request was odd considering, but he told her it was a dinner with Rosalee, Monroe and Juliette. Trubel would be there too. It was –more or less- everyone. Lily hesitated to answer him at first because she wasn't sure what to say. Since arriving in Portland, her only social interactions were primarily with Renard. But now, she seemed to be branching out which was just a foreign concept.

At eight o'clock, however, Lily found herself knocking on Nick and Juliette's door. The lady of the house was the one who answered. She smiled wide and kindly to Lily.

"Hi." She greeted to the nervous young woman.

"Hello," Lily replied. "Here," she handed Juliette a bottle of wine. "I brought this for you."

"Thanks." She smiled. "Well come on in. Monroe and Rosalee are already here."

Lily nodded and followed Juliette into the house. After setting her things down, she was led into the dining area where everyone seemed to be milling around, setting the table and carrying on conversation as they moved in and out of the kitchen.

"Hey Lily," Monroe greeted.

Rosalee said hello as well as Nick. Lily returned the sentiment and found the odd feeling growing in her gut. She didn't know what it was exactly, only that it was foreign.

"Come on Trubel!" Juliette called as she added the final bowl of food to the table. "We're hungry!"

The others began to slowly file into their seats. Nick took the head of the table, Monroe to his left, Rosalee beside him, Lily at the end, a blank seat for Trubel next over and then Juliette would be beside both the newcomer and Nick. Soon the young woman emerged and they began to dish out their servings. It didn't take long before the conversation shifted to something relatively heavy.

"I just want to say," Rosalee said to Trubel. "You're handling this very well for someone so young."

"To tell you the truth," Trubel said as she heaped another serving of spaghetti onto her plate. "It didn't expect to live this long."

While the others were shocked and saddened by her statement, Lily felt a kinship to it.

"I understand the sentiment." She replied as she took a bite of her green beans.

The dinner commenced with typical chit-chat. Most everyone was avoiding asking Trubel too much. It wasn't that they didn't think she'd answer; it was more that they weren't sure she could. She hadn't stopped to take a breath since sitting down. Again, Lily understood.

"Wow," Monroe found himself saying when Trubel had cleared a massive pile of pasta. "I don't think I've seen anyone eat that much before."

Trubel glanced up through her lashes without speaking. She felt mildly embarrassed at first, but soon noticed the Blutbad was more impressed than anything.

"It's reflexive." Lily said. She took a sip of her wine, but her odd statement drew their eye. She hesitated slightly before explaining. "When you're not certain when you're going to eat again," her voice had dropped slightly in volume. "You'll eat as much as possible when you can."

"Yeah," Trubel nodded softly. "You were in the system too?"

She asked thinking Lily had been in foster care like she had, that the young woman knew how to hoard food because she didn't know if she was going to be taken away at any moment like Trubel, but that wasn't why.

"No." Lily said. She cleared her throat. "No, I never had foster parents. I didn't have anyone to take me in when my parents died."

The others listened intently. For some reason, it looked as though Lily had almost forgotten they were there, like she was only speaking to Trubel, but Nick couldn't help but ask.

"But you were only thirteen." He said.

Lily looked up and nodded.

"How?"

"You forget," she forced a smile in a weak attempt to make the situation seem less horrible. "I was on the run since birth. I stayed down and became a fairly decent thief. My parents had a few contacts I knew of who could forge documents for me like school records and such." Lily found herself looking again to the young woman at her side. "You just learn how to look out for yourself, how to survive."

"Yeah." Trubel mumbled.

After that, Juliette offered Trubel another plate of food and the conversation continued as it was. Rosalee asked Trubel more questions and she answered them. Her story was as sad as Lily's. It made the others grateful they were what they were, that they had family and knew what was happening when they did.

"So how old were you when you saw your first Wesen?" Trubel asked Lily. She warmed a bit to the young woman who seemed to have the slightest clue what she'd been through.

"That's a tricky question to answer." Lily said.

"Why?" Trubel didn't understand.

Lily hesitated. She scratched the space just behind her ear –a nervous habit she hated- and took another sip of wine before speaking.

"Because I was two years old," she said. She hesitantly met Trubel's gaze.

"Jesus," Trubel muttered. "That had to scare the shit out of you."

"Not really." Lily said with an awkward shift of her shoulders. "The Wesen was my mother."

Everyone could tell it took Trubel a moment or two to put together what Lily was telling her, but when she had, her jaw went lax.

"Your _mom_ was Wesen?" she asked in a deadpan tone.

Lily nodded.

"But… you're a Grimm. How's that possible?" Trubel asked. Her eyes danced along those gathered, but they didn't meet her gaze for long. Eventually, she looked again to Lily for an explanation.

"Because my father was a Grimm." She said.

Again, it took Trubel a few minutes to let her brain catch up with what she was hearing.

"Your dad was a Grimm… and your mom Wesen…" she repeated. "How the hell does something like that happen? I mean, aren't you guys afraid of us?" she asked Rosalee and Monroe. Neither of them answered, but it was clear they were.

"My upbringing was unconventional." Lily admitted.

"No shit." Trubel replied. She realized quickly how her statement might have sounded and sank into her seat. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Most people don't understand their marriage, on either side." Lily said. "The Grimms were angry he'd married Wesen and the Wesen angry she'd married a Grimm. Worse yet, they had me."

"Is that why they were…"

Lily nodded.

"I grew up knowing about Wesen, but I didn't know I was a Grimm until after my parents died. We weren't really certain what I'd be, but then I saw a Coyotl, and I knew I was Grimm. He said so, in fact." She let a small laugh leave her lips.

"So," Trubel was still having trouble understanding what Lily was saying, but the curiosity was winning out. "Does that mean you're Wesen and a Grimm?"

Lily shifted in her seat again.

"Apparently, yes." She nodded.

"Whoa… that's possible?" Trubel asked Nick. He was her Yoda thus far, so she assumed he'd know.

"I guess." He shrugged. "I mean, until a couple of weeks ago, everyone kind of thought it was impossible, right?" he looked to Monroe and Rosalee who nodded repeatedly.

"No one ever heard of a Grimm and a Wesen getting married until Michelle and Andrew," Rosalee said. "So a child was impossible, but…" she looked at Lily. The action caused everyone to look to the end of the table where Lily was busy finishing off her wine.

"Wait, a couple of weeks ago?" Trubel asked. "You didn't know until a couple of weeks ago?"

Lily shook her head.

"No. Up until then, I'd get headaches, body aches, but we'd always just assumed it was from living in the woods for so long when I was little, that perhaps the lifestyle had caused some kind of deficiency or something. Evidently, not so much." She said. She glanced briefly to Rosalee because the Fuchsbau was the one who'd explained it to her. "Apparently, aches like that aren't uncommon before Wesen transition. It came about rather unexpectedly."

"I bet. What happened?"

Trubel was filled with child-like curiosity. She didn't mean to pry and that might have been the only reason Lily kept answering her questions.

"I met the man who murdered my parents." She said bluntly before adding, "And broke his neck."

"Good," Trubel found herself nodding her approval. "So what kind of Wesen are you?"

"I'm a…" Lily laughed disbelievingly to herself for what was about to come out of her mouth. "I'm a Maahes."

Trubel's brows came together.

"I don't know what that is." She admitted. She looked at Nick. "Is that even in your books?"

"Actually, I've never read about one in my books, no."

"They're not… _we_ aren't incredibly common." Lily found herself correcting her phrase. Referring to herself as Wesen was still strange. "It's a lion, more or less."

"More or less?"

"Think Nemean Lion." Nick said with a brief glance to Monroe. He remembered that's what the Blutbad had compared her to.

"Like with Heracles." Trubel said surprising them all. She noticed. "I used to read a lot. I thought I might find answers in old stories and stuff." She chewed on her cheek slightly before looking again to Lily. "So that's what you're like?"

Lily found herself nodding.

"The Nemean Lion was Maahes, yes." She said.

"So, you're like indestructible."

"Not really. I was shot, remember?"

"Right…" Trubel nodded softly. "That sucks."

"A bit." Lily smiled.

"So, you can woge then right? Can I see it?"

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but found herself hesitating.

"I'm not certain how, actually." She replied. "I've only done it twice and that was simply because I was angry."

"You can't control it?" she asked confused.

"It takes time." Rosalee said. "You learn how to control it after a little while. It's not always something you just _know_. It's kind of instinct." She looked at Lily and smiled kindly. "You'll get there."

Lily returned the sentiment.

"Here," Juliette suddenly said, drawing attention. She reached for Trubel's plate. "Let me take that for you."

"I'll help." Lily offered.

"Me too." Rosalee added.

Together, the three of them began to clear the table.

They had coffee after dinner and continued to talk a bit. When it came time for Lily to leave, she was being led out by Nick and Juliette.

"Thank you again, for tonight." She said to the pair. "I had a lovely time."

"I'm glad you came." Juliette said kindly.

"And thanks." Nick said. "I think it helps Trubel knowing she's not alone."

"I hope so." Lily replied. "And just take your time with her. She'll come around eventually. It just takes a bit of getting used to people when you're so accustomed to being alone."

"How'd you get over it?" Juliette asked. She wanted to help Trubel as much as she could. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Um," she hesitated briefly. She didn't want to tell them she was still uncomfortable around groups of strangers. "Move to Portland, evidently." She smiled. They shared the action. "Goodnight."

They waved goodbye and said their farewells as Lily left.


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. :( Still, I hope you guys like the chapter and let me know what you think.  
**

**Chapter 23**

(season 4, episodes 1 &amp; 2)

Renard was rushed to the hospital, bleeding profusely from three gaping bullet holes in his chest.

~!~

The instant Lily opened her apartment door, she was bombarded by the intense stench of chemicals. It made her nose burn and she immediately covered her face with her hand so she could open the windows.

The circus tent had come down that day and Lily hadn't hesitated to get home. She wanted to keep herself busy while everyone was at the wedding, and this was simply how she did it.

The breeze outside helped suck the toxic air out of her apartment, but Lily knew it would take much longer to actually get rid of the stench. She'd noticed that as of late, her senses were much stronger than before. Naturally, she assumed it was because of the Maahes side, but that still didn't help her. If anything, suddenly being more affected by everything around you from sight, to smells and more, was a bit overwhelming.

As her day progressed and Lily went about unpacking and making sure no one walked off with any of her valuables while she was gone, Lily was unaware that everything around her was crumbling. She didn't know that Renard was shot. She didn't know that Trubel had decapitated a Hundjäger in Nick's house, or that Nick was no longer a Grimm. As far as she was concerned, it was just another day in which two people she knew had gotten married.

Towards the end of the day, Lily sat in the middle of her living room lifting a small weight in her left hand. It was part of her rehab to strengthen the muscles in her back that had been affected by surgery. The weight was two pounds and felt like she might as well be lifting a giant boulder. Annoying didn't encompass how it felt, especially knowing that her strength had doubled since 'turning'.

As she struggled to lift the weight again, Lily's phone began to ring. She felt relief at the break and happily answered it. She wished she hadn't.

"_Hey, Lily,"_ it was Nick, and something was clearly wrong. "_It's the Captain… he's been shot… he's not doing good… I'm sorry."_

Lily barely remembered the quick conversation or when she hung up, but Nick's words lingered. She heard them, repeated them over and over and still didn't know what to think. Obviously Nick had called her just because he thought she should know. He was that kind of guy. Whether he was aware that Renard and Lily's friendship was barely more than being civil to one another –and even that was a stretch- or not, Nick wanted Lily to know.

She remembered muttering a thank you before the call ended and then her mind flashed with thoughts. Despite not being there, she saw Renard in her head, bleeding and writhing in agony. She saw him coughing up blood without even knowing if he had. And then the images became more 'disturbing'. She saw him as the young man she'd met years ago. She saw him as the kindhearted friend, the one who helped her when he didn't need to, and the one who opened his home to her just a week ago. She saw him as a friend, and in some ways, that terrified her even more. It made Lily aware that she was scared for him and afraid he wouldn't make it. It made her aware she cared.

Without a second thought, Lily dashed for the door. She barely managed to snag her things on the way before leaving. She hadn't even locked her front door.

~!~

Her frustration was growing the longer she went without being given the slightest information about Renard. None of the staff would tell her anything. Stupidly, she told them the truth. After asking if she was family, friend or someone in uniform and she answered no, it seemed like every door was closed in her face. Rationally, Lily would have understood that it was simply protocol not to give out patient information, but she wasn't rational.

She was anxious, and didn't know why, which only made the emotion worse. After pacing for a surprising amount of time, Lily finally made herself sit. She propped her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. She knew her behavior wasn't helping the hospital staff trust her enough to give her information, so she had to calm down. It barely helped. After only a few seconds, her knee began to bounce at a furious pace. Worse yet, she knew if she didn't calm herself completely, she ran the risk of woging. That thought terrified her. It was never an issue before, but now that the Maahes had 'woken', Lily knew she had to control herself. The real trouble came when she realized she may not be able to.

While she and Renard were nowhere near close enough to justify why she was acting the way she was, Lily couldn't help it. Renard, as it turned out, was her longest 'friend'. He was the only person in the world she had known for so long that was still alive and he was the only one that knew her the best. Perhaps that's why she was so worried? Or perhaps it was because he'd opened his home to her, despite how contentious their relationship really was? Or perhaps, it was something else entirely, something she herself didn't even realize?

Hours seemed to have passed and Lily's nervous knee-bouncing had slowed, but her anxiety hadn't calmed.

"Ms. Quinn?"

Hearing her name made Lily jump. She looked up and noticed a uniformed officer she'd seen before standing over her with a look of mild surprise and sadness. For a brief moment, she was afraid something had gone wrong.

"Yes?" she asked with a level of worry. She sat upright to better look at him.

"You know the Captain, right?" he continued. "I've seen you at the precinct before."

"Yes," she nodded. She was becoming more uncomfortable.

"Wu," he introduced and offered his hand. Lily shook it apprehensively. "Have they told you anything?"

"No," she shook her head and slumped a bit when she realized he was simply joining her in the Waiting Room, not there to deliver terrifying news. "I'm neither family, nor an officer. They seem unwilling to tell me anything at all."

Wu nodded slightly before heading to the Nurse's Station a few yards away and spoke with the women behind the desk. He returned a few moments later and sank into a seat nearby.

"He's still in surgery." Wu relayed before they sank into an uncomfortable silence.

Time again meant nothing as they lingered. Any time anyone had something to say, they spoke directly to Wu and ignored Lily, which she found irksome. It made her hate the staff, despite having been a patient herself a couple short weeks earlier.

At some point Hank arrived. Nick had gone home with Trubel to be with Juliette leaving his partner a chance to check on their boss. He spoke to Wu for a moment or two before noticing they weren't alone.

"Lily?"

She looked up again. Like so many times before, Lilly had been staring aimlessly at the ugly carpeted floor rethinking the same few thoughts when Hank drew her attention.

"Have you been here this whole time?" he found himself asking as he stepped towards her.

Lily nodded softly. He was about to ask why, but wasn't given the chance. A man in blue scrubs and covered in blood emerged from the double doors. He made his way directly towards the cop in uniform and was soon joined by the detective. Lily wove in and out of the conversation, too distracted by the knowledge that the doctor was covered in Renard's blood, until she heard something that made her heart sink. _You may wish to contact his next of kin._

Her skin prickled and her stomach twisted into knots so severe they actually hurt. She sank deeply into her chair. The hell was she meant to do now?

"Did you hear me?"

Lily again was jostled out of her thoughts when Hank spoke. Looking up with eyes increasingly tinting pink, she suddenly realized that Hank had asked her a question.

"Pardon?" she asked.

"You know his mom right?" he repeated. "You think you can give her a call?"

"I'm sorry, no." she replied. "I've not spoken to Elizabeth in nearly twenty years. I'm afraid, I have no idea how to contact her."

She saw both Wu and Hank slump at her declaration. It was the truth, however. She had no way to get into contact with Renard's mother.

Wu muttered something about contact information being in their Captain's files.

It wasn't long afterwards that Hank and Wu both left. Wu had to find the Captain's next of kin as the doctor suggested and Hank wanted to make sure everyone else was all right. To her gratitude, Hank made sure to tell the staff Lily was a family friend. In truth, he did it for more than just her sake. It didn't seem like she was going anywhere so he'd asked for her to keep them informed. When she explained that no one would talk to her, he made sure they would.

Again, she was left alone in the Waiting Room. Lily didn't know what kept her there, but realized she didn't have the ability to move until after the doctor reemerged. He told her Renard was still in critical condition, but out of surgery and in the ICU. She asked if he was fairing any better than the previous hour and he simply said no. He doubted Renard's organs would be able to recover.

The twisting in her gut returned and Lily quickly left. She didn't want to remain where she was surrounded by beeping machines and the smell of the dying. Her senses seemed to be even sharper than before now that she was given proof that Renard was going to die.

As she dashed to her car, Lily felt something bubbling within her that she'd been doing her best to repress for hours. The moment she began to struggle with her keys, Lily saw silver fur sprout from her hands. She was woging and quickly unlocked her car and slid inside. Lily gripped her steering wheel and tried to calm down.

Her fingers wrapped around the leather-bound wheel. Her grip tightened and to her horror, Lily heard the plastic crack. She quickly released it in fear of breaking it completely.

Why was she so emotional? Why was she reacting so viscerally to Renard's possible death?

~!~

Lily didn't know why she found herself walking through the hospital walls the following day. It was as puzzling as what brought her there the night before.

After speaking with a nurse, she was told that Renard had been moved to another room. The nurse went on to say that it was for observational purposes. Apparently, Renard's heart had stopped, he was pronounced dead, and yet magically arose again. The strange declaration caused Lily to walk the rest of the distance to his room with her expression twisted in confusion.

When she reached the large window to his room and saw him lying in the bed, her stomach sank. He looked strangely weak and helpless, two things one wouldn't associate with Sean Renard. But as he stood there staring sadly at the Captain, Lily finally noticed he wasn't alone in the room. There was a woman standing by the window.

Her confusion returned. For a moment, Lily wondered how Adalind had made her way into Renard's hospital room, until the blond turned. She approached the man's side once again, gently stroked the side of his head and spotted the person lingering in the window. The women's eyes met and the blond was immediately set on edge. Lily, however, was dumbstruck.

The blond clearly knew Lily wasn't hospital staff since she lacked the necessary uniform, which meant she was there specifically to visit Renard. After what she'd gone through to bring him back once, and how protective she was, the blond left his side and headed for the door. Despite a quick glance to the man in the bed, she kept her eyes solely on Lily.

When she reached the hall and gently closed the door behind her, she approached Lily with a skeptical and stern eye.

"Who the hell are-" her voice –while tight and terse- still held the same delicate tone Lily remembered. She paused as she stared into the two-toned eyes of the dark-haired stranger.

"Hello, Elizabeth," Lily greeted softly. She was a little shocked to see the blond. In truth, it was incredibly disturbing how little she had changed despite the time.

Elizabeth had hesitated initially because something told her she knew the young woman. There was a feeling, deep down, that resembled recognition. It was the eyes, and when Lily said her name, she knew. A light smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Lillian," Elizabeth greeted with a gentle nod. Her overall demeanor had calmed. "What brings you here?"

Lily didn't immediately speak. Her eyes instinctively darted to the man in the hospital room. It was only briefly, but Elizabeth noticed and it made her smirk.

"How long have you been in his life?"

The question caused Lily to flinch and turn her gaze back to the witch. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. In fact, she was actually a bit flustered by the question and didn't know why. Elizabeth's smirk didn't help.

"I'm not." She finally said. "I've only just reconnected with him, as a matter of fact." She was speaking quicker than normal which only made Elizabeth continue grinning at her like a mother normally would. "I didn't even know he was living in Portland actually, until I was arrested." She offered a nervous laugh and immediately regretted speaking the sentence, even more so when Elizabeth cocked a single brow. "I've only just come to check on him, but since you're here… I uh, I suppose I can leave now." She shifted uncomfortably. "Goodbye."

Lily turned to leave and had every intention of scampering away, but Elizabeth had other plans.

"Lillian!" she called gently from behind.

Lily jumped slightly and turned to face her. She had never been entirely comfortable around Elizabeth for one simple reason. She knew just how powerful the witch was.

"Please," she motioned towards the door, "If you'd like to check on him, you're welcome to."

Lily felt herself nod before she realized she was doing what Elizabeth suggested and walking into the room. Hearing the heart monitor beep at a slow and steady cadence and seeing Renard hooked up to a number of machines made the hair on the back of Lily's neck stand on end.

She never had someone she knew in the hospital before, so this was a new experience. Being fugitives and quite healthy, her parents were never in one. Lily was too young to remember meeting any extended family, so she had no experience there and no friends all but ensured she'd never see anyone in the situation Renard was in. It was uncomfortable and actually made her 'itch', in a way.

"So," Elizabeth chimed in her deceptively kind voice. Lily turned to see the blond standing with her arms crossed lazily over her chest and a light smile. "You were arrested?"

"Yes," she nodded apprehensively. Lily couldn't believe she'd blurted that earlier. "A client's husband found me trespassing."

"Client?"

"I'm a private investigator." She explained.

Elizabeth gave her another gentle nod when motion over Lily's shoulder caught her attention. The mother perked when her son began to shift and immediately went to his side.

Renard breathed heavily, winced and sighed when he saw his mother standing over him. A gentle smile touched his lips at the sight of her.

"I thought it was a dream." He told her softly.

"I made it, just in time." She said lovingly and in the same gentle tone.

Renard's brows pulled together.

"I died."

Elizabeth shrugged a single shoulder and forced a confident smile.

"Only for a moment." She teased sweetly.

Renard smiled and felt himself reach for his chest. He felt each bullet wound in staggering detail despite the layers of clothing and gauze between them and his fingers.

"I suppose that's the second time you've given me life." He smiled.

"It hurt a lot more the first time." She said with a light laugh. Renard wanted to return the action, but it hurt too much. "Oh, a friend of yours-"

Elizabeth turned to draw attention to Lily, but she was gone. Renard hadn't seen her at all since waking because he'd been so focused on his mother, so he was naturally confused.

"Hm," Elizabeth mumbled as she looked back to Renard. "It appears Lillian's left."

His brows came together tightly which only made her smile endearingly at him again.

"Yes," she said, musing over his confusion, "she was here."

"Why?" he couldn't hide his disbelief.

"It appears, she was worried about you. Is it truly that surprising?"

"Yes," he nodded. Renard wasn't coherent enough to bother lying, nor would he lie to his mother anyway. "We've already fought one another, multiple times."

She cocked a single brow.

"Verbally?"

He gave her a look that let her know no, the fights weren't simply verbal.

"Oh my," she muttered. Still, she was a little amused by his declaration. "Now then," Elizabeth had some pressing questions and since Lily was gone, she chose to move the conversation along. "Who did this to you?"

By the time they even knew she was gone, Lily was already exiting the hospital and pulling her sunglasses down over her eyes. She felt much better, even without speaking to Renard. The fact that she'd seen him awake and talking was enough for her. Besides, it was obvious he and his mother had things to discuss and Lily wasn't going to stand over them listening when she had no reason to truly linger. So she didn't. She left.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

(season 4, episode 3)

Time continued to move on despite the desire it didn't. Life continued to move, money needed to be made and Renard was still healing in the hospital.

Lily's phone rang as she sat in her car spying for another client. She had been waiting for her to exit the hotel for nearly two hours and was glad for the reprieve.

"Hello?" she asked as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"_Hey… uh… this is Lily… right?"_

Her brows came together and she gave the nervous voice her attention.

"Yes," she answered with a hint of reluctance. "And who may I ask is calling?"

"_It's Trubel._" She said quickly. "_I got your number from Nick's phone. That okay?"_

Lily relaxed when she realized it was someone she knew, but not a great deal. Clearly, Trubel was nervous, and that worried Lily.

"Of course," she felt herself say, "Is everything all right?"

"_I was kind of hoping to talk to you."_

Trubel still hadn't relaxed in the least.

"Um, yeah, sure. When?"

"_You free now?"_

"Well," she looked around. She was right in the middle of working and while her job may have been sitting still for hours on end, she still had to remain behind. She needed to take the pictures. "I'm working right now."

There was a brief pause.

"_You have a job?"_ Trubel asked in a surprised voice.

Lily smiled softly to herself.

"I'm a PI." She explained. "I'm on a stakeout for the moment, and I don't know when I'll be free next. Is tomorrow all right?"

"_I'd kind of like to talk to you as soon as possible… Can uh, can I just meet you there?"_

"I suppose so."

Lily didn't know why she gave Trubel the address where she was parked, but had and ended the call. There was something worrying about the way Trubel spoke. Firstly, she was nervous and clearly on edge, but secondly –and more unsettling- she had called Lily. For Trubel, a young woman she barely knew, to call her for help made Lily understandably nervous.

~!~

A light knock at the window caused Lily to jump. She'd been a bit lost in thought and wasn't paying attention to the clock. It was Trubel, leaning down by the passenger side window and looking in expectantly. Lily quickly unlocked the door and Truble slid in just as it began drizzling.

"Hey," she sighed heavily as she adjusted herself in the seat. She was out of breath.

"Did you run here?" Lily asked with a hint of teasing, despite being honestly curious.

"No," Trubel shook her head, "Juliette's bike."

Lily's brows rose.

"You rode from the house?" she asked in shock. Truble nodded with a shrug. "That's four miles away, or better."

Again, Trubel only shrugged. She didn't see anything wrong with having pedaled that far, while Lily couldn't hide her mild respect. With a crooked smile and a nod, Lily turned her attention back on the building across the street.

"So… why are you camped out in front of a hotel?" Trubel asked as she looked around.

"A man hired me to watch his trophy wife." She replied. "They're already getting a divorce, but he'd like some proof of her infidelity first."

"Why bother?"

"Prenup." Lily said simply. "He needs proof she broke the agreement. Evidently, he's unwilling to divide his dry-cleaning empire with a twenty-two-year-old he met in Vegas."

Truble gave a disbelieving laugh and found herself nodding. She didn't blame the guy.

"So," Lily chimed. She shifted in her seat just enough she could keep the hotel in her periphery, but give Trubel her attention as well. "What can I help you with?"

Trubel cleared her throat and began to move uncomfortably in her seat. It caused Lily to eye her curiously. As far as she knew, Trubel had been growing _more_ comfortable around everyone, not less.

"Did you hear about what happened at Nick's house the other day?" she finally asked.

Lily nodded and felt that cold feeling start at the back of her neck as she remembered Renard in the hospital before he woke.

"Well, I kind of killed a Hundjäger," she continued, "He was the guy who shot the Captain, and ended up being some kind of Fed," Lily didn't bother hiding her shock. Trubel noticed. "But that's not the problem." This time Lily narrowed her eyes. How could killing a federal agent who also turned out to be Wesen _not_ be the problem? "Turns out this other agent is like, trying to recruit me or something."

"For what?" she asked. Lily doubted it was for a government job.

"I don't know." She declared a bit louder than she meant to. "But she's Wesen too and she was telling me that there were people who'd be _interested_ in what I can do, like they want me to identify and kill Wesen in power."

Lily's brows came together again.

"Why are you coming to me with this? Shouldn't you be speaking with Nick?"

It was Trubel's turn to shift uncomfortably. It didn't take Lily long to realize the agent likely threatened Nick if Trubel talked to him in the least about whatever this was.

"But why come to me?" she felt the need to repeat. They may have a fair amount in common, but Trubel seeking her out seemed a bit odd to Lily.

"I was kind of hoping you might know who these people are." She admitted as she met Lily's eye again. "I mean, don't you kind of have experience with all of the… like… Wesen secret societies… or something?"

Her brows came together as she looked at Trubel in disbelief. It wasn't that she was judging the young woman, Lily simply found it difficult to see her thought process and what caused her to make such a broad leap.

"I've dealt with _some_, but not all." She finally said.

"Well, do you at least know who these people are?" Trubel asked with a hint of desperation. "I'm kind of running around blind here."

"Well I'm sorry." She shot back on instinct. Trubel was kind of yelling at her. Granted, it was out of stress and not actual anger, but Lily's reaction had been reflexive. It seemed to help calm Trubel a hint. "Using a Grimm isn't a new concept for anyone." She went on. "The Royals used to do it often. A Grimm working with Wesen however, and Wesen willing to work with a Grimm… I'm not entirely certain how to process that."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Trust your instinct." She said as though it should have been obvious. "If you don't trust these people, don't aid them in anything."

Trubel scoffed and fell back into her seat. Trust. Of course she didn't trust them. They threw a bag over her head and kidnapped her.

The rain was coming down in sheets. Trubel groaned.

"I'll give you a ride home." She said. "You don't need to be riding in this."

"Don't you still have to work?"

Lily looked up. The woman's car was still parked out front and it didn't seem like she was leaving any time soon. Lily shrugged.

"It'll be fine. I'll get your bike."

"I got it."

Lily shook her head. She popped her trunk and opened her door. She stepped to the curb behind her SUV where it was parked. She quickly lifted it and stowed it in the back before slamming the hatch and jumping back into the driver's seat. Lily was in the middle of batting at her clothing when Trubel spoke.

"That her?" she asked.

Lily looked up and spotted Trubel pointing to a young blond woman in a rather skimpy dress. Lily quickly grabbed her camera while the target hesitated beneath an awning and started snapping pictures until the blond had leapt into her car and headed off. Trubel and Lily soon did the same.

When she dropped Trubel off, she told her the young Grimm needed to talk to Nick. Trubel shifted under the thought, but Lily explained that people like this worked better through isolation. They wanted her alone, so that's the opposite of what she should be.

~!~

A few days had passed since the last time Lily had seen Renard and he wasn't far from her thoughts. It bothered her because she couldn't pinpoint why she kept thinking about him. If they had a close relationship of any kind, it would make more sense, but they didn't. And still she would think of him.

She'd wonder how he was fairing, if he was healing alright and how he was in general. A few times, Lily had nearly gone to the hospital to check on him, but stopped herself before making it to her car. It seemed strange to give a damn.

What did eventually bring her to his bedside was the realization that the feelings wouldn't go away the longer she attempted to ignore them. And, if anyone asked, she had a ready lie. After all, he'd been at her bedside when she'd been shot. Now, she could say she was simply returning the favor.

When she reached his suite, the door was open and Renard wasn't alone. Elizabeth was there –as Lily assumed she may be- and smiling as she spoke to her son. Lily knew she had a few seconds to turn back if she chose. No one had seen her standing in the doorway yet. She could lower the hand she'd raised to knock and walk away and they would be none the wiser. But while her mind worked to try and come to a decision, Renard reflexively glanced to his door. He spotted her immediately and let the surprise touch his features.

"Lily," he said, drawing his mother's attention to the newcomer. He didn't want to be shocked she was there, but he was. He hesitated to speak for a moment and simply offered, "Hello."

"Hi," she muttered with the same level of odd discomfort as Renard. She looked to the smirking blond. "Elizabeth."

The witch gave her a gentle nod of acknowledgement as she tended to. Elizabeth was sparing with her words, too. If the three of them could manage to be in a room without the casual unease, the conversation would be nearly nonexistent.

"What are you doing here?" Renard finally asked.

"I've come to see how you are." She replied. The lie was easy because it was so in line with the truth. "You did the same for me, after all, when I was shot."

"You were shot?" Elizabeth asked with mild, amused surprised.

Lily nodded.

"A couple of weeks ago."

"Lord Maxwell," Renard said, drawing his mother's eye, "From the British Royal Family." His eye drifted to Lily and harbored a strange combination of sadness and –if she had to guess- pride. "He shot her just before she broke his neck."

Elizabeth glanced to Lily –who was still lingering in the doorway- and stared at her with shock.

"You killed a member of the Royal Family?"

"He was the one who contracted the murders of Andrew and Michelle." Renard said.

The pair was having the conversation without Lily, and she was oddly fine with that. She'd repeated those same few facts so many times; she was almost relieved she didn't have to again.

Elizabeth's shock turned to pride which Lily almost felt uncomfortable for seeing. It wasn't that she assumed the Hexenbeist would be shocked by the murder, but the fact that she was glad Lily had murdered someone seemed almost wrong.

It was then the blonde's eyes darted along Lily.

"Do you plan to linger in the doorway indefinitely, child?" Elizabeth asked with the same 'motherly' tone Lily had heard in her youth.

She didn't know why, but the matriarch's words forced her feet to move and soon Lily stood at the foot of the bed. She felt foolish and ridiculous. She was an adult, thirty-one-years-old, and yet being around Renard and Elizabeth somehow made her feel like she was thirteen again.

Elizabeth looked back to her son and gently placed her hand on his shoulder to draw his attention.

"I'm going to get myself a cup of coffee." She told him. "I'll give you two a moment to speak."

Elizabeth headed for the door and gave Lily a light smile as she passed before disappearing into the hall. Lily and Renard stared at one another without speaking for what felt like an eternity, but was little more than seconds.

Her eyes darted to his chest. Beneath the edge of his low-buttoned night shirt, Lily could see the hint of gauze. It made her skin prickle and her stomach flutter with nerves. It was the realization that someone she knew was completely mortal.

The uncomfortable fluttering grew worse and she wasn't sure how to make it go away. It gave her flashbacks of her own shooting, of the pain involved and the fear of dying when she realized what was happening. She thought about how afraid Renard must have been when he was shot and how much pain. She thought about him dying and it brought everything from that night rushing forward again.

Renard watched the silent woman become more and more distressed before suddenly woging. The silver fur sprouted from her skin in a ripple, soon washing over her entire body and covering every inch of exposed skin. Her two-toned eyes now glowed in brilliant gold and hands clutching the foot of his bed now donned impressive talons. His brows rose in unison at the unexpected shift.

"Lily,"

Her eyes darted to his and shined briefly when they caught the light. Her brows were still pushed together sadly, but that wasn't the issue. Renard looked at her the same way he had the night she changed after the Verat attack.

"You need to calm down."

Her brows furrowed tighter. On instinct, she glanced to her hands and saw the issue.

"God damn it." She hissed to herself. Lily immediately tucked her hands under her arms as though that would somehow conceal what she was. She turned her back to Renard and closed her eyes. "Not again," she mumbled to herself, just loud enough for him to hear, "not again, not again."

Renard watched skeptically from his hospital bed as Lily struggled to calm down enough she'd return to normal. The trouble was, she was too worked up from having changed in the middle of the hospital in the first place.

He could see her in near profile and she was still silver. Even if she had turned completely, he could easily see her pointed ear. Still she tried, taking a deep breath and releasing it over and over, but she wasn't calming down. The fear that someone may see her through the open windows while she was still woged seemed to keep her nerves perfectly frayed.

The same concerned Renard, too. His eyes darted from the open window to the woman with fur and back again. His worry grew the longer it took her to change back until he had no choice but to intervene. Clearly, she wasn't able to do it on her own.

"Lily,"

She turned to look at him over her shoulder. He could tell she was worried and simply motioned for her to come closer.

Against her better judgment –and honestly not sure what else to do- Lily approached the man in the bed. In truth, Renard didn't know if he could help, or how, but he assumed he could try. If anything, he didn't need someone seeing her. That would raise more questions than he wanted to answer and he'd calmed her once before, so perhaps he could do it again.

When she made it to his bedside, still breathing weakly and clearly frightened, Renard surprised them both by reaching for her hand. It still amazed him how soft her fur was.

Their eyes met and for a moment neither spoke. Renard wanted to make sure he had her attention. He continued to gently hold her hand limply while their eyes remained locked.

"You have to calm down." He told her in an even voice. She began to nod, but the feline exterior didn't fade. "Breathe," he said.

She nodded again and took in a deep breath. He felt a bit foolish for having to coach her, but the change was still too new and he was well aware that animal Wesen like her tended to be more emotional than others. It was simply instinctual, and nothing more. Sometimes, they were just harder to control and freshly changed was always unpredictable, despite the species.

Their eyes remained fixed to one another and her breathing continued. Lily let herself ignore her surroundings and focused only on the feeling of his hand in hers and his eyes. They were hazel. She'd forgotten that and hadn't paid much attention since reuniting with him, but now it seemed to help. She focused on the color. They were muted, in a way, a combination of dusty brown and a pretty, soft green. Right now, while he was wearing blue, they looked more green than anything.

Lily felt herself calm and as she exhaled another breath the Maahes vanished, leaving behind the young woman she was. Renard gave her a gentle nod and a light smile even tugged at the corner of his lips. She glanced down and saw a human hand which brought out her own smile as she looked at him again. She was grateful, and he could tell.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

The new voice startled the pair who'd sank into a certain silence. They looked and saw Elizabeth standing just within the room holding a cup of coffee and smiling lightly as she eyed the pair holding hands. They weren't sure how long she'd been there.

In reality, Elizabeth had been spying for a good minute or two. She hadn't seen Lily change back, which meant she and Renard were still smiling at one another and holding hands for a decent amount of time after.

Realizing what Elizabeth might have thought upon entering the room, Lily quickly snatched her hand back. Her cheeks tinted a brilliant pink and she felt heat in her face. She was obviously embarrassed, which truly didn't help her cause. Elizabeth continued to smirk as she stepped forward while Renard prepared himself for what his mother would likely say. She had a way of speaking her mind, even in front of the people she chose to talk about.

"I can always come back later." Elizabeth teased gently.

Renard shot her a mild glare for her obvious jab.

"I should be leaving," Lily said as she backed away from the pair watching her. Her eyes drifted briefly to Renard. "I'm glad you're better."

With a light farewell, Lily made her way out of the suite as quickly as she could without looking like it.

When she was gone, Elizabeth turned back to her son. He looked at her in annoyance, while she continued to smirk.

"A bit young for you, no?" she jabbed once more. "She was practically a child the last time you saw one another."

Truth was, she didn't care who he dated, or how old they were, and he knew it. As a result, his eyes narrowed and he glared lightly at her.

Lily left the hospital without a break in step. She simply felt 'weird' and didn't like. Then there was the matter of woging again… she needed to do something about that. She needed to get control.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

(season 4, episodes 3&amp;4)

After hours of trying to woge on her own and having no luck, Lily made her way to the Spice Shop. She had to get this under control and the only person she felt she could trust with it, was Rosalee. The Fuchsbau seemed to genuinely want to help her every other time Lily had come to the shop, and hoped she'd be willing again.

The lights to the shop were on and she knew someone was there. The sign said closed, but it wasn't the first time Monroe and Rosalee had closed early because they were doing something. Lily only hoped she could at least speak to Rosalee.

She knocked on the door and heard rusting on the other side. She heard both Monroe and Rosalee in startling detail. Lily still hadn't gotten used to her senses.

Rosalee unlocked the door and opened it. She was surprised.

"Lily, hi," she said as she opened the door passed the initial crack. "Is something wrong?" she motioned for Lily to come inside.

"No, I just wanted to-" Lily paused when she noticed herbs and books on the counter and Elizabeth. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in the middle of something."

"No," Rosalee said quickly, "No, it's fine. We're just trying to find out what Adalind did to Nick." She offered openly. "What's up?"

Lily glanced amongst those gathered and it was clear she didn't want to talk with everyone else in the room. But, on the other hand, it wasn't as though she had to be worried that anyone would rat on her. That was an odd sensation… trust…

Her eyes shifted back to Rosalee and as confidently as she could say, Lily replied, "I need help learning how to woge."

Monroe and Rosalee were surprised by the declaration, while Elizabeth couldn't hide her confusion.

"Surely by now you've learned to control it." Elizabeth said, drawing attention, "If you take after your mother, then-"

"Not just her." Lily felt the need to say.

Elizabeth's brows came together and she narrowed her eyes on the young woman. Without bothering to ask or warn any of them, Elizabeth woged into the same creature that greeted Lily and her mother that night all those years ago. While surprised by what she saw like the others had been, Elizabeth was much better at controlling herself.

She returned to normal and looked Lily over once more. Her face was nearly blank.

"That's interesting." She said simply.

An awkward silence spread between them. Eventually, Rosalee offered to give Lily a hand and led her towards the side room where she usually put together her concoctions.

"Okay," she said as she turned to face Lily, "Have you been able to control it at all?"

Lily shook her head. Rosalee did her best to keep from looking surprised.

"Have you woged at all, aside from that first time?"

Lily reluctantly nodded.

"And none of it on purpose, either."

"Oh," she mumbled. Rosalee was beginning to understand how dangerous the situation was and felt herself glad Lily had come to her. "Alright, well, um…" she hesitated. Rosalee had never had to tell someone how to woge before. It took her a moment to think of the words. "Okay," she clapped her hands together causing Lily to eye her curiously. "There's this… feeling," she touched her stomach, "it's kind of like an itch, but not. Can you feel it?"

Lily fought the urge to be sarcastic about the vague comment and instead focused on trying to 'feel' whatever Rosalee had described. Her eyes drifted to the floor and she searched herself for the odd sensation Rosalee had described. It took a moment, but eventually yes, she felt something that may be what the Fuchsbau was talking about. Slowly, she nodded.

"Okay, good. Now, focus on it, and let it just wash through you."

Again, Lily fought the urge to say anything. She didn't want to be rude, but she felt a little strange in her current situation. So again, she did as she was told.

Lily focused intently on the strange tingling itch she felt in her stomach and tried to make it grow. She fought with it for a moment or two before Rosalee noticed she was becoming frustrated. She told Lily to calm down and relax into the sensation. She compared it to a massage. Even if a masseuse was working on your foot, if you relaxed enough, you could feel it everywhere. Same principal.

Lily rolled her eyes and closed them. She took in slow breaths and again focused only on the tingle. Like Rosalee said, Lily relaxed into it as best she could. Soon, she felt it spread through her body completely, from the deepest pit of her stomach to her fingertips. She even felt it radiate in every follicle on her head. There were no words to describe how strange, yet appropriate, it felt.

"Oh my god," Rosalee mumbled.

Lily opened her eyes to see Rosalee looking at her with some kind of fascination she didn't understand. Lifting her hands, Lily realized she'd woged.

"You're… beautiful." She said. Lily shifted uncomfortably under the compliment, but thanked her for it regardless. "Go look in the mirror."

Rosalee pointed to the wall not far away. Lily stepped towards it, but was horrified by what she saw. She jumped back with a frightened gasp and slammed her back into a support beam as a result. A few bundles of herbs tumbled from their hooks on the beam and the Maahes immediately vanished leaving Lily staring at a face she'd seen a thousand times before.

"What's wrong?" Rosalee asked in a slight panic.

Lily looked to her with wide eyes as she tried to calm herself down.

"That was _utterly_ terrifying." She said honestly. Rosalee's brows came together. She was about to ask why when Lily spoke again. "Is that really what Wesen see when they see a Grimm?"

Rosalee's eyes went wide and her jaw snapped shut. How did she not think that would happen? Of course it would.

"You saw the eyes?" she asked.

Lily nodded profusely.

"Is that really what a Grimm looks like?" she asked in shock as she pointed sideways at her reflection.

"Yeah," she nodded. "But yours are different." Lily's brows came together and she tilted her head to the side in confusion. "The gold. Normal Gri- _most_," Rosalee didn't want to make Lily feel like she wasn't normal, "Most Grimms are just jet black, but your iris's glow gold."

Lily slowly began to nod. Her eyes drifted back to the mirror and while she saw herself, she could almost see the black, demon-eyes too. The fear she'd been shown through the years suddenly made sense.

"Try it again," Rosalee said, "But maybe this time, actually watch it happen. That way, your eyes won't be as much of a shock."

Lily again nodded and squared herself against the mirror.

She took a deep breath and went through the same motions. The second attempt seemed much easier and this time she watched herself transform.

Lily watched as the silvery fur sprang forward like a ripple in a pool of water. It spread across her body in seconds and left behind an animal, like everywhere it touched was affected. Doing her best to ignore her eyes, Lily inspected the rest of her. She stepped closer to the mirror.

Her nose had flattened and widened just a bit and taken on a feline appearance. Her lips were black and whiskers now sprouted from just above them. Her ears poked out through her dark hair and it caused her to pull it away. They were pointed now, almost like an elf, and coated again in fine silver fur.

Her hands she'd seen every transformation before, so she instead opened her mouth. Dangerous, deadly canines glinted in the light. They were easily over an inch long and could definitely take a chunk out of someone.

Hesitantly, she looked at her eyes. They were no less terrifying than the first time she'd seen them, but now she was prepared. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her gut that those horrible eyes did in fact belong to her, Lily inspected them.

They were black like Rosalee said, but so much more. They were hollow and fathomless, like tunnels that led nowhere good. And they weren't just black. They looked like no light could penetrate it, like the black was visceral and thick. It looked like the black could actually consume you. But, as though that weren't strange enough, her irises were gold and not just that, they glowed. They glowed with a demonic, almost unnatural glint and that coupled with the sea of unending black that surrounded them, Lily definitely understood why Wesen would fear her.

"Whoa,"

The new voice caused her to tear her eyes from the phantom image on the mirror she couldn't believe was herself. Standing in the doorway that led to the main belly of the shop was Monroe and Elizabeth. He was the one who spoke and had a look of astonishment. Elizabeth, however, was smiling.

"You look like your mother." She said.

Lily offered a grateful, but sad smile in response and turned her attention once more to Rosalee.

"How do I stop it?"

"Just let it go." She replied as she continued to stare at Lily's brilliant silver coat.

Lily did as she was told and slowly the fur disappeared once more. She had to practice now that she knew what to do. She couldn't hide her gratitude. It was a small step, but a step regardless and Lily couldn't explain how much more confident she was now that she had accomplished woging on her own.

To Rosalee's surprise, Lily suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the young Fuchsbau's neck. She hugged her tightly.

"Thank you," she sighed with relief. "Truly, thank you."

"No problem." Rosalee replied with a light smile. After the initial shock of the hug, Rosalee returned the sentiment.

They soon parted and Lily found herself offering to aid them in anyway she could. Part of her felt obligated to do so. Elizabeth thought the offer was adorable and told her she was free to stay. It caused Rosalee and Monroe to agree as well.

~!~

Despite the incident with the wolfsangel brick, everything else –regarding the spell- went along without a hitch. Though, everyone other than Elizabeth was bothered by it. Still, the witch urged both Rosalee and Monroe to go home for the evening. Woging in their face only ensured they would gladly leave the 'hag' alone. Lily decided to leave too since it was clear she was no longer needed, but Elizabeth had other plans.

"Lillian," she called as the young woman threaded on her jacket. She paused and turned to face the Hexenbiest. "Would you mind staying just a bit longer?"

Rosalee and Monroe shot one another worried glances. They couldn't help it. There was something mildly frightening about Renard's mother, unsettling even. Lily felt it too. She wasn't as openly frightened of her as the others were since she'd spent time with Elizabeth, but she was well aware that the woman was dangerous and acted accordingly.

"Of course." She nodded. Lily began to remove her jacket once again.

Monroe and Rosalee said their farewells and left Lily alone with Elizabeth, despite the unease they felt. At least they knew the pair had history. When they were gone, Lily turned her attention back to Elizabeth. She lingered for a moment, fully aware that there was nothing she was needed for.

"Was there something you needed help with?" she asked despite knowing the answer.

Elizabeth again smirked while her eyes remained on the potion.

"I only wished to talk to you." She replied. Finally she looked up, but her eyes danced along Lily for a moment. She took everything in before meeting her gaze. Lily cocked a single brow. "How long have you had feelings for my son?"

Both of Lily's brows rose high.

"Pardon?"

Elizabeth mused over her confusion for a moment. She let her eyes wander once more before turning her attention to the potion again.

"Perhaps you're not aware of it yet."

"Or," Lily offered with a light edge, "Feelings don't exist."

Elizabeth let out light laugh and shook her head. She found something amusing that lily did not. It caused her to glare at the witch, regardless of what she may be able to do.

"He is being released in the morning." She went on to say. Elizabeth looked up and her smile hadn't faded. "I thought you may like to know."

Lily wasn't amused which only added to Elizabeth's enjoyment. Annoyed, and not wanting to linger and more, Lily offered her final farewell and with a gentle nod, Elizabeth let her go without fuss. She continued to smile to herself, however, even after Lily was gone.

~!~

Two mornings later, Renard stood on his balcony with Elizabeth, overlooking the bay in his new home. They spoke briefly about Diana and where she may be hiding. Renard wished he could give his mother more, or at least warn Kelly that she'd be coming, but there was literally nothing he could do.

Elizabeth still smiled as she looked at her son's half-transformed features. She was a bit proud of her work, and she should have been considering she brought him back from the dead.

"Have you heard from Lillian?" she asked randomly.

Renard's brows furrowed and the Zauberbeist vanished.

"No," he said as though it should have been obvious. "Should I be expecting a call?"

That damn smirk returned to her lips as she mused over something unsaid and shrugged a single shoulder.

"Perhaps." She continued to grin, "You're aware she has feelings for you, right?"

"Oh I'm sure," he nodded. The response surprised her enough she glanced to him while he continued to stare outwards. "Contempt and mild hatred, most likely."

She narrowed her eyes and examined him like she had Lily the last time they saw one another.

"Interesting." She muttered.

He looked down at her curiously, but Elizabeth didn't seem as though she was going to elaborate. Truth was, she saw the same 'something' in Renard as she did in Lily. It was going to be a very interesting reveal if/when it finally happened.

~!~

Lily was leaving the hotel she had scoped out a few days prior. After bribing the desk clerk, she learned that her target came and rented the same room every week. Good. Predictable was good.

As she neared her car, her phone began to ring. She answered it without bothering to look at the number.

"Hello?"

"_Lily, hey."_ Rosalee greeted.

"Hello." Lily smiled. She couldn't help it. She was beginning to like getting phone calls from them. "What can I do for you?"

"_Well, Monroe and I were going to make dinner tonight and we were hoping you'd come along. Nick, Juliette and Hank will be there too."_

"Um," Lily was surprised by the offer, but felt herself agree anyway. And for once, she wanted to. "Sure, I'd love to."

"_Great."_ Rosalee exclaimed. "_Is eight o'clock okay with you?"_

"That's fine." She smiled. "I'll see you then."

Rosalee said her farewell and Lily ended the call. When she'd been invited to Nick's, she initially been apprehensive, but now, she was actually a little excited. This was a new sensation, and she liked it.

~!~

When Lily arrived later that evening to Monroe and Rosalee's home, she brought with her not only a bottle of wine, but something for Nick as well. Well, it was more for Trubel.

"This," she dug into her pocket and pulled out a thin, silver thumb-drive, "is for Trubel."

"Okay," he said with a light, uncertain smile as he took the device. "Uh… what is it?"

"My books." She answered. He, and Juliette who'd come to his side during the conversation, were a little surprised.

"Really?"

Lily nodded and smiled.

"For a few months now, I've been working on scanning my family's books into my computer. They've become so old that I'm afraid a few of them are falling apart. And, since Trubel doesn't seem to have any books of her own, I thought she may appreciate this."

"Wow," he mumbled. He suddenly felt like he had to be careful with the piece of tech. "Uh, thanks. You didn't have to do this."

She shrugged, but kept the smile. Lily felt Trubel could benefit from her own set of books and she doubted Nick's faired much better than her own. Besides, this way, Trubel had something incredibly portable to take with her no matter where she went. She didn't need to carry around a library. Ain't modern technology grand?

The night progressed in a normal fashion. Lily would speak to everyone; answer their normal _how are you_ questions. She did the same with them and found herself having fun.

Weird.

But the night wasn't meant to remain pleasant. It wasn't meant to remain lighthearted and fun.

Brilliant glowing orange suddenly filled the living room, stunning those inside. On insitinct, they each raced for the fire and were horrified by what they saw. A large, wooden and burning wolfsangle lit up the night. Those who knew what it meant began to shake with either fear or rage. This was too close.

Lily began to shake. She had to remove herself from the intense symbol of hate. While she wouldn't normally have patience for this kind of bigotry, it hit a special chord with her and the rage it brought on was blinding.

When Monroe took Rosalee inside and Hank began to douse the wolfsangel, Lily found her way inside too. She just couldn't look at it and had to try and calm down. As Monroe paced and bellowed his rage, threatening to woge out of pure anger, Lily had taken to sitting in the corner with her head in her hands. She had to calm down.

"Well, they're all Wesen so it's not really your problem anymore." Monroe yelled. He wasn't doing it to be mean, he just couldn't lower his volume he was so distressed.

"I'll do it." Lily said. The odd, strangled tone of her voice caused the others to look at her.

"What?" Hank asked.

Filled with determine ire, Lily finally looked up. Hank, Juliette and Nick were a little taken aback.

"I'll do it." She repeated as she bared pointed fangs. "I've had enough of these ridiculous groups." A growl began to form to her words. "I'll find all of them and deal with them myself."

Her declaration was chilling and only aided by the woge she inadvertently triggered.

"Uh… Lily," Hank mumbled.

She eyed him curiously before looking down.

"Damn it!" she snapped.

Her anger was understandable, but no one had expected her to change. She decided to excuse herself to try and calm down while they continued to speak.

Nick soon declared that he wanted to become a Grimm once more.


	26. Chapter 26

**Long! Partially to make up for it being nearly 2 months since the last update. Enjoy! And let me know.**

**Chapter 26**

Lily was embarrassed she'd lost control that night at Monroe and Rosalee's house. She didn't mean to, but it happened regardless and as a result she kept a bit of distance from them. She didn't even want to join them to Nick's house along with Trubel and Elizabeth to perform the spell. Lily just wanted to put some space between her and the others. She knew no one blamed her for the slip, but it was still embarrassing, regardless.

Though, perhaps no less embarrassing than what she was currently doing.

The sounds of sex filled her apartment as her client's wife went for the gold with the pool boy –or whoever he was. The bugs she'd set up in the hotel room after the previous tryst were earning their keep, but the woman was obnoxious. After the hundredth _oh god_, Lily muted the computer. The live play-by-play had run its course and she just couldn't listen any more. So, instead, she returned to the other case she was working.

The second case was easy enough, but she was hitting some roadblocks. The new client had called Lily on behalf of her mother. Evidently, mom's new boyfriend was not only young, but happily letting the older woman buy him everything he wanted. It made the daughter weary –for obvious reasons- and she just wanted to know what her mother was getting in to. Evidently, the daughter was concerned her recently widowed mother was simply being scammed, which was entirely possible. Some people were that awful –to pray on those still reeling from loss.

Unfortunately, it wasn't that uncommon. Neither was cheating spouses. Between those two types of cases alone, Lily could support herself.

Again, it was easy, but Lily had hit a wall in the form of sealed records. Intriguing, and annoying.

With a huff, she sat back in her seat. She could do basic background checks, but unfortunately, court sealed records were beyond her… but not the police.

A thought came to Lily and before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed a piece of paper, wrote down the information needed and left.

~!~

She walked through the precinct and waved a passing hello to Wu as she headed for Renard's office. He was on the phone and didn't look happy about it. His sour expression made her wonder if walking in on him was the best thing to do at the moment. Perhaps, for once, she should have Wu introduce her like he did everyone else.

She watched for a moment without making her way any closer. It drew the uni's attention and made him approach.

"You need to talk to the Captain?" Wu asked kindly.

"Hm? Oh, yes," her eyes traveled back to the man in the office who was in the process of hanging up his phone. "He doesn't seem happy, however."

Wu turned his attention to his boss too and felt himself shrug.

"He always looks like that."

Lily snorted a soft laugh and nodded.

"You're not wrong, Officer." She said with a tiny smirk.

"Want me to let him know you're here?"

"No," she shook her head and gave him her attention. Lily smiled warmly. "Thank you, though."

He nodded and headed off to do his work while Lily approached the office. Renard was no longer on the phone, but he was no happier. He was in the middle of scribbling something down when she knocked on the door. He glanced up and was surprised to see her. That didn't stop him from waving her in, however.

"What can I do for you, Lily?" he asked in his typically glib, annoyed tone. She didn't take it personally, that was simply how Renard spoke.

"I've come to ask a favor." She said with a sigh as she took a seat across from him. Lily knew before heading to the precinct that she was in for an uphill battle and the knowledge reflected in her voice. When she met his eye, she could tell he was skeptical.

"With what?" his voice remained level.

"I've a client," she leaned to the side to pull the piece of paper out of her back pocket and offered it to Renard. They each had to stretch a bit to reach the other given the width of his desk. "And she'd like me to do a background check on her mother's boyfriend." He skeptically began to unfold the paper. "Trouble is, some of his files have been sealed and I can't access them."

The action hesitated and Renard found himself looking up at her through his lashes. He cocked a single brow.

"You want me to do your job for you?"

"Of course not." She mocked slight offense at his accusation. "I've simply hit a few roads blocks and I knew you could help."

"I see," he leaned back in his seat, "So you not only expect me to do your job, but you're asking me to use police resources too."

She glared lightly as his obviously sarcastic tone.

"I can pay you, if you'd like."

"And now you're bribing a police captain."

"Oh knock it off." She scoffed. It was clear he was only toying with her and he seemed amused by the fact, which only made Lily want to slap him. She refrained, however, given she did actually need his help. "I just want to know what's being hidden."

"I can't unseal his records."

Lily raised a brow and eyed him disbelievingly. She knew he was lying and he could tell. Truth was, there was little Renard couldn't do with one group of connections or the other.

He didn't offer an answer for a moment or two, which only bothered her more. She knew he was intentionally messing with her and to make it more frustrating, Renard kept his exterior completely calm. Truly, she wanted to slap him.

With a sigh, he finished unfolding the piece of paper and finally looked at the name she'd given him along with the rest of his information. Everything she had written down was done so beneath a photocopy of the boyfriend's driver's license –courtesy of her client. Renard thought it over for a little while –which again only caused to annoy Lily- and finally met her gaze.

"I'll see what I can find out." He said as he tossed the piece of paper lazily onto his desk.

"Thank you," she sounded exhausted after such a short conversation.

Renard gave her a light nod and the pair knew that was the end of the conversation. Lily pushed herself to her feet and headed for the door. When she had it open just a hint, she paused. The action caused Renard to look at her strangely as she turned again.

The irritation was gone and she looked… concerned. He didn't like it.

"How are you feeling?" she finally asked.

Renard felt a jolt of surprise rush through him, but kept the emotion from his features.

"Fine," he replied. He noticed her looking at his chest and felt mildly exposed because of it. "I'll let you know what I find out."

Lily met his gaze and nodded before leaving the office, sure to close the door behind her when she had. Renard remained still and watched as she wove through the officers and disappeared. When she was gone, he was forced to realize he'd just offered to help someone without asking for anything in return, or being affected in the least by the outcome. Grumbling his annoyance, he returned to work.

~!~

Lily was sitting in her kitchen going through the recordings that she'd left going earlier and lazily eating Chinese food when there was a knock at her door. Quickly trying to catch the last bit of noodle from falling off her chopstick, Lily got up and answered it, still holding her food in her free hand.

She was surprised to see Renard on the other side, but not as shocked as he was to see her with a cheek distended by food and a pair of chopsticks sticking out of her mouth. He raised a single brow.

"Busy?" he asked sarcastically.

Lily glowered lightly, but quickly swallowed her food so she could speak. She plucked out the chopsticks and tossed them into the container.

"Shush," she said when her mouth was free again. "What can I do for you this evening, Sean?"

He said nothing as he held up a folder she hadn't noticed. Lily perked.

"Splendid." She said as she took it. "Come in, please."

Renard didn't know why he didn't refuse. He didn't know why he'd bothered to help her in the first place. And he sure as hell didn't know why he followed her into her apartment.

By the time the door closed and he made it to the living room, Lily was already sitting at the bar again with her nose in the file.

"Hm," she mumbled as she glanced over the information she'd been given. "That's interesting."

"I didn't find anything on the name you gave me, nothing out of the ordinary at least." He said as he came up behind her and looked at the files over her shoulder. "His license photo, however, gave me a good deal more."

"Clearly," she continued to read. "Two aliases."

"Three." He corrected.

Sure enough, when she flipped to the third page in the folder, she was presented with another alias. Lily's brows slowly rose.

"And the sealed records?" she asked absently as she continued to read.

"Unrelated." He replied. "Those belonged to the real _Joseph Turner. _Evidently, he was arrested for car theft as a kid and _mommy_," he was sure to exaggerate the word which made Lily smirk, "dropped the charges. Their lawyer had it taken care of so the arrest wouldn't even show up on his record."

"I wonder if Joseph's worried someone's stolen his identity?" she asked rhetorically before turning to the final page. "Ah…"

The last page was a death certificate for the real Joseph Turner. The young man in question had died a decade prior in a car accident.

It was uncommon for skilled conmen to use the life of a real person instead of making one up, and the deceased were the easiest targets. It meant that the likelihood of being figured out was incredibly slim and let the con-artist adopt the second life for their own, complete with records.

"Well," she sighed after a moment, "This will certainly help." Lily looked up and gave Renard a warm smile. "Thank you, Sean."

He nodded silently in return and was prepared to leave when he noticed her staring at his chest again. He narrowed his eyes briefly.

"Yes?" he didn't bother hiding his sarcasm.

When she met his eye, Renard noticed the worry had returned.

"How are you feeling?"

His glower deepened.

"Fine," he replied evenly. Lily had already asked him earlier in the day, so he didn't understand why she would again only a few hours later.

To his surprise, Lily sighed loudly and obnoxiously before shaking her head and going back to the file.

"I truly hate that you're not sore." She sighed heavily. "It's not fair."

Words didn't immediately come to him because of the strangeness of the comment, but eventually he found them.

"You'd rather I still be in pain." He said in a deadpan voice.

"Well obviously." She said with thick derision as she looked at him. "I had to go through rehabilitation and my body still hurts when it rains –which is nearly every day in this bloody city- but your mother steps in and you're completely fine."

He looked at her in disbelief for a moment or two. A smile tugged briefly at his lips and he found himself shaking his head at her. He couldn't help it. It was such a random thing for her to say.

"Goodbye, Lily." He finally said.

With a nod of her own, Lily stood to follow him out as one did for company.

When they reached the door and Renard had stepped through the threshold, he paused. Lily noticed and waited. It was clear he had something else to say.

Renard gave her his attention, but only continued to stare blankly down at her. Lily's brows slowly pulled together as she waited patiently. It looked like he was having trouble, which she thought odd and didn't generally bode well for what was to come.

Truth was, Renard was having trouble coming up with the right words to use for what he planned to ask. He'd been thinking –for some time it seemed- that he should extend some kind of olive branch to Lily, though he wasn't entirely certain why. It could have been because neither of them seemed to be leaving Portland any time soon, and their paths always crossed. It could have been because they'd known one another for a long time. It also could have been because –of everyone he'd met thus far- he seemed to get along with and had more in common with, Lily.

The trouble came when moving forward. Renard wasn't good at making friends. He had acquaintances and tools, nothing more. He never found the need for actual friendship with anyone. He was, after all, a very off-putting individual.

Still, perhaps that should change.

"Would you like to have lunch with me?" he finally made himself ask.

It took Lily's brain a moment to realize that Renard had not only spoken, but asked a question that generally merited a quick response.

"Pardon?" was all she managed at first.

"Lunch." He repeated in his typically calm, even voice. His expression remained blank as well.

"Uh,"

She hesitated to answer for obvious reasons. Lily didn't know what to think when someone like Sean Renard asked her to lunch. It would likely be a very simple, mundane and platonic affair, but still, the question was strange. And yet, her answer came before she realized it.

"Sure."

He nodded simply.

"I'll call you."

"All right." She replied with the same hint of disbelief as before.

With another light nod, Renard left. Lily closed the door behind him and was left wondering what the hell just happened. Lunch was something friends did. It was something people who liked each other did. Renard and Lily didn't like each other. They weren't friends. Hell, without favors or some kind of turmoil, they didn't have anything to talk about.

It was going to make for an awkward and rather quiet luncheon.

~!~

Thanksgiving was on the horizon and Lily hadn't noticed other than seeing turkeys and other holiday food for discount in the stores. It was never a holiday she celebrated, and why would she? Between being on the run as a child, then on her own without either friends or family, why would Lily celebrate a holiday that promoted both? So, it made little to no impact on her life.

Even stranger, she'd been in Portland for a year now… how odd.

She learned that Nick was back to normal about a week ago and was glad for it. She couldn't imagine losing something that was so much apart of herself like being a Grimm. The knowledge of what was out there and knowing they knew you back was a scary thing, especially when you couldn't see them anymore. She was happy for him.

Lily had delivered her findings to the two who'd hired her. The husband had the recordings and photos of his wife cheating and the woman ha the file about her mother's boyfriend. Everything was taken care of, but one thing still bugged her when she thought about it.

The lunch with Renard still hung over her head. They hadn't made headway with it in the form of actually making plans, so as a result it hung in the air. That bothered her. It frayed her nerves, and she didn't know why which made it worse. It was annoying and she didn't like it.

Deciding she'd had enough of waiting for Renard to finally make the plans, she called him first. She was already apprehensive about having lunch with him in the first place and the waiting made it worse. Somehow, Lily thought it was purposeful on Renard's part.

She dialed his number and waited as it rang.

"_Hello?"_ he answered in his normal tone.

"Are we still having lunch?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. She knew the direct question likely confused Renard for a moment, which wouldn't surprise her.

"_Are you busy Friday?"_

"No." truthfully she didn't know if she would be, but lunch was something easily scheduled around.

"_I'll make arrangements and call you."_

"All right."

They said goodbye and hung up. Now that the ordeal had been scheduled, Lily began to realize how strange it truly was. The entire conversation lasted only a few short minutes (most of which was his pause), and had about as much warmth as someone calling to make a dental appointment. It had the same clinical feel.

Having a date helped, too, however. Now, she knew when it would happen and when it would be over. Now, she could move passed the awkwardness of it.

~!~

When Friday came, Lily hadn't relaxed to the idea of having lunch with Renard. She'd grown comfortable with everyone else, including Trubel, and yet the one she'd known the longest still left her uneasy.

She wished she knew why…

As Lily walked through the restaurant, she felt a little out of place. She was wearing a simple outfit of nothing more than jeans, a shirt and a leather jacket she'd owned for years, but with a quick glance around, she noticed most everyone else was wearing something nicer. It wasn't a fancy place, per say, but it looked like the attire was more along the lines of Sunday's Best, or Tea Party. Lily stood out.

The hostess led her through the tables until coming into sight of the one seating Renard. He was looking down a moment before she reached him and stood when he saw her. The hostess smiled, motioned to the table and left the pair.

Renard and Lily shared a glance before taking their seats. In unison, they reached for their menus and began to lazily look over the contents. Neither spoke.

A few minutes passed and still they hadn't offered anything in the ways of conversation. Both believed in only speaking when there was something to talk about and as a result idol chit-chat was useless. On the other hand, there was an unspoken obligation to offer such useless conversation when out to lunch with someone.

Lily offered first.

"Have you heard anything else of the English Royals?"

Renard glanced up only briefly through his lashes before directing his attention back to his menu. Lily hadn't bothered looking up at all.

"No," he replied. He wasn't surprised that was a question she wanted to know the answer to, although Maxwell's death had been some time prior. "Have you learned to control yourself?"

As he had when she spoke, Lily glanced up through her lashes, but her eyes held a bit of a glare. His tone was slightly mocking, like he was teasing her just a bit.

"Yes," she told him. Renard finally looked up and seemed mildly surprised. She met his stare head-on. "I have, actually."

It wasn't a complete lie. She was getting better with practice and at least knew how to recognize the sensations now.

"Good." He felt the need to say.

They continued to look at one another for a moment before turning their attention back to their menus.

Again, they slipped into silence. They were comfortable in it for the most part, but had to admit their current company and location did make it a bit odd.

Their drinks had arrived alongside their food before either of them spoke again. And like before, it was Lily who chose to speak first. There was something she'd wanted to ask more than whether or not the English family had discovered Maxwell's death wasn't what it was reported to be.

"Why did you ask me to lunch?"

Renard looked up and saw her staring at him, not with any true emotion, just watching and waiting for an answer.

He swallowed the food he'd been chewing on, reached for his napkin and dabbed his lips before speaking.

"I don't know." He said honestly as he met her stare.

She cocked a curious brow and waited for him to elaborate the simple phrase, but the truth was he didn't know. That was part of the reason he hadn't called her to arrange it, he didn't know why he'd made the 'date' in the first place.

Renard didn't date. He seduced. He didn't 'hang out' with people. He had appointments and conducted business over food. It wasn't in his personality to do anything else. Without friends, he didn't invite them to eat and catch up. With women he chose to see, he seduced with intent instead of fumbling around like some men.

Everything he did was regimented and held a purpose… except this. In haste, he'd invited Lily to lunch and didn't have a plan for it. He didn't have a reason, and that bothered him. Even when they ate together at his apartment it held a purpose –they were hungry. This was not that.

"Perhaps this was a mistake." He kept his voice as even as always.

Instead of being offended by the comment, Lily felt herself smirk and nod.

"It does seem a bit strange, doesn't it?"

"A bit." He agreed.

"I wonder if you and I are the type to be friends."

Renard took in a slow, deep breath and exhaled it with a shrug.

"I don't know."

She smiled again and let out a small laugh.

"I had such a crush on you." She admitted with a light tone of disbelief.

"I'm aware."

She scoffed –still grinning- and lifted her drink to her lips.

"What was I thinking?" she muttered just loud enough for him to hear before taking a sip.

Renard raised a single brow and eyed her. It was clear she was joking at least a little, but still, he felt the need to reply.

"Some women find me charming."

Her smile turned broader than before as she looked at him skeptically.

"I wouldn't trust their judgment." She laughed lightly. "They're likely insane."

Renard shrugged and nodded ever so slightly as he thought about the women he'd been with in recent years.

"You're not wrong." He felt himself agree. She continued to muse over his statement as she poked at her spring salad. He cocked a brow again. "Then what does that say about you?"

Without skipping a beat, Lily replied, "That I was a ridiculous and foolish child."

Renard scoffed a little laugh to himself and the lunch continued.

The mood lightened substantially and the pair no longer felt compelled to try and speak. The 'strangeness' barrier had been broken down and both were grateful for it.


	27. Chapter 27

**AN:**This is a bit short, for which I apologize. It was brought to my attention that I haven't uploaded anything in awhile, and I haven't. A few of my stories have fallen through the cracks, and I am so sorry for that. I'll try to do better, I promise. I hope you guys enjoy.

**Chapter 27**

Thanksgiving had come and gone and the city of Portland barely seemed to notice. Instead, it leapt happily into the yuletide spirit.

Colored streamers and garland hung from nearly every lamppost and tree. Lights twinkled throughout the night the instant the sun went down. And giant Santas littered store-fronts and lawns alike.

Christmas was here… despite being nearly a week off.

Lily was in the middle of working out when her phone beeped with a text message. It was late –which worried her slightly- but she answered it regardless. It was from Nick.

She could see the message on the screen without having to unlock her phone and read it easily.

_Detective N. Burkhardt: You wouldn't happen to know what this is, would you?_

Her brows came together. Within the brief preview of the message, she could tell there was an image, but one she couldn't see well. Opening the text completely, Lily was met with a photo of what could only be described as a troll… perhaps a gremlin? Either way, it was a curious, furry little creature, but it struck a memory.

She wrote back: _I believe so. Give me a moment._

Her laptop was on the bar where it generally sat. She reached for it, connected her external hard drive and quickly opened the _Wesen_ folder. She opened the _Other_ folder and glanced over the thumbnail images of each one. Nothing immediately jumped out at first, until Lily noticed a folder within a folder. Thinking it odd, she opened it and found out why. The initial folder was for the _Indole Gentile_ and the second for something called a _Kallikantzeroi._ After opening it, she spotted a photo of the little goblin.

With her phone, Lily took a photograph of the initial picture and name of the creature and sent it to Nick. While the image held the familiar lines associated with a photo taken of a screen, you could still clearly read the name, which she assumed was all he needed.

After sending the message, she received a thanks and found herself reading the bit her family had written about the thing. It turned out to be the child of the _Indole Gentile_. Her ancestor didn't seem to care that they were children and only wrote a few short paragraphs on how to kill them. Horrible.

Nick never asked for more information –not that she seemed to have much to give- so Lily assumed he only hoped she knew where he could start looking through his own books. If he was asking in the first place, she assumed it had to do with a case. She'd ask him about it later. At the moment, it didn't truly mean much to her.

With that situation tended to, Lily went back to her workout. She still couldn't get over how her senses had changed in such a short period of time. Evidently, after her _awakening_ everything was dialed up to eleven. Her sight, sense of smell, her hearing and her strength were on steroids now.

It had come gradually, but not gradually enough for her to cope. Sometimes, the sounds and smells of the city were a bit overwhelming. That was actually why she was in her apartment working out and not at the gym like she used to. The sounds of beeping machines, multiple televisions and blaring music accompanied with the incredibly thick scent of sweat and it was simply too much.

Taking a deep breath, Lily stepped forward and in one swift movement, propped herself up in a handstand. She didn't waver, she didn't falter. She fell into the action with incredible ease which was even more impressive given she'd never been able to do it before.

"Whoa…" Lily mumbled to herself.

While she had managed handstands before, it was never so simple. She might as well have stepped off a curb, that's how little effort she had to put into the action. In truth, she felt a bit like a superhero, but that frightened her, too.

Lily stood upright once again and reached for her cell phone. She scrolled through her contact list before coming to the name of a person she both did and didn't want to speak to.

"_Would you be willing to help me with something?"_ she wrote.

She'd intended to toss the phone down and continue her workout while she waited for a response, but one came faster than she thought.

_Sean Renard: With?_

She was surprised he wrote back so quickly, but that didn't stop her from writing back.

"_I need help training."_ She admitted. "_I need to test my strength."_

His next message came a bit slower than the first, but Lily assumed he was trying to think of whether or not it would be a good idea. They'd sparred together before, but that was when she was still human. Lily knew he was likely wondering if fighting her now was a wise choice.

To her surprise, he wrote her back a few minutes later and even offered a place where they could go. Renard was upfront about it being a relatively abandoned property and in the middle of nowhere. He didn't much feel like her questioning him when she found the location, and decided to just be honest about the fact that no one needed to come across them fighting. Clearly –given what they were- a gym was out of the question.

Lily agreed and that was the end of the conversation.

She appreciated that she and Sean only had to say what needed to be said. They didn't bother with fluffing out a conversation. They didn't bother dancing around the point. They were blunt and it was always a much preferred way to handle anything.

Lily arrived at the abandoned refinery at the appointed time and wasn't surprised to see Renard's vehicle already there. She parked, stepped out and headed inside.

Sean heard her arrive and turned when he felt the air inside shift. Lily was bundled within a coat, but removed it when she appeared to reveal her standard workout clothing.

He removed his jacket when she had hers and stood before her in a pair of sweat pants and a wife-beater revealing what his suits barely hide. Lily wasn't surprised Renard too chose to wear something other than a thousand-dollar suit, but she hadn't seen him in so little in decades. And there most certainly was a change. Renard was broader now, thicker and fuller with muscle and while he'd been a fit young man, clearly he'd added some heft.

"Are there rules?" he felt the need to ask as they approached the open center of the building.

"I don't know." She replied honestly. "I'd say avoid drawing blood, but I'm not entirely certain I can promise that."

He nodded softly. Renard didn't take the statement as a threat. It was simply the truth. If she woged and her claws came out, there was a chance she'd hurt him more than either intended. She was only warning him.

"Perhaps," he said when they were within arm's reach of one another, "We should test your agility first?"

Without waiting for a response, he swung his fist. Lily leaned back and avoided the hit easily, much easier than she once would have.

Lily cocked a single brow at him for the unexpected swipe.

"Good." He told her. Lily glowered lightly. "Let's see what else you can do."

A fight began quickly. Sean lunged for Lily, swinging his arms and nearly connecting a few times. She'd block, duck and leap out of the way while he continued to race after her. Soon, Lily fought back.

The fight that raged between them bordered on a ballet. Both were adept and could handle themselves easily. Each also possessed something a little 'more' than human, though Sean wasn't an animal like Lily was.

Soon, the desire to win seemed to surface and each did their best to beat the other. It soon became a battle of egos, as though what was meant to be a sparring match was actually bruising their pride and they had to show the other who was the best.

When Lily swung her leg in a high-kick meant to connect with Sean's head, he grabbed it. Holding her ankle firmly, Sean spun and threw her into the distance. He felt guilty the moment he had, sure he'd taken the fight too far, when Lily did something that both surprised, and unnerved him. She twisted mid-air, moving her body like a cat and actually landing on all fours. She stared up at him through tendrils of fallen hair and glared. Before Renard could apologize for the overzealous maneuver, she ran for him.

Lily slammed into Sean's chest and took him to the ground. He hit hard and grunted from the force. Dazed and a bit winded, Renard struggled to open his eyes. When he had, he saw gold reflected back at him through a face that was no longer human. To add to his shock, Lily's lips were pulled back revealing dangerous canines.

Unwilling to give her the upper hand when she was clearly angered, Sean spun the pair until he pinned Lily to the cold, dirty concrete ground with his massive body. Her glare didn't diminish, nor did her feline exterior.

"Calm down," he said as he pressed himself against her, pinning her arms above her head.

"Or what?" Lily dared. Even her voice crackled with the hidden growl of a cat.

Before he could speak, Lily wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed. Renard bit back a groan and glared at her.

"Lily," Her name sounded forced, which wasn't a surprise. "You need to calm down."

She smiled, which wasn't a response he expected. The truth was, Lily wasn't angry. She hadn't woged out of emotional need. She'd chosen to. She was well aware of what she was doing.

He seemed to sense it relatively quickly after the smile appeared. Seeing her smirk made him feel a bit like the mouse the wicked cat was toying with.

To try and combat her clear teasing, Sean stopped supporting himself and let the full weight of his body fall against her. Lily groaned a long sigh as she felt the two-hundred-plus pound man against her. Thankfully, her legs loosened as well.

"Do you think this'll work?" she asked with a labored breath.

"It seems it already has." He replied.

Lily glared, but the look held little power. When she tried to move and felt him in his entirety, Lily was forced to realize just how close Renard was. He was literally covering her completely and in having to hold her hands to the floor above her head, his face was much closer than he should have been. There was perhaps four or five inches between them at the most.

When the struggling ceased and the room went silent, Sean seemed to realize the same thing. The pair went still in an instant.

As he hovered only a few sparse inches above her, Renard couldn't help but inspect the young 'woman' beneath him. It was simply a byproduct of the situation.

His eyes danced along her feline features. He could see every individual hair that spread across her flesh. The color was silver, not grey, but actual silver. It glinted in the light like the metal it emulated. He could see her whiskers, the varying shades within her fur and her eyes. Her eyes were truly gold and beautiful, a combination of yellows and browns that were enchanting to stare at so closely.

Something unfamiliar passed between the two in the few short moments they were forced to be so close. Lily felt that ridiculous crush she had as a child return. It fluttered her stomach and made her-

Sean heard something that forced him back into the moment.

"Are you… purring?" he felt ridiculous for asking, but given what he was looking at, perhaps it wasn't such a strange concept.

Lily's eyes went wide.

"No," she answered with a hint of embarrassment. "Now get off of me."

Her reaction only made him more resolute. A light smirk touched the corner of Sean's lips that he both couldn't help, and didn't bother to hide.

"You're purring." He openly taunted.

Lily immediately glared at him again.

"Get off of me now, or I'll bite your face."

A low, deep chuckle rumbled from the man above her before he shoved himself up. Lily sprang to her feet the instant she was free and turned her back. Renard watched as she swatted off random bits of dirt and dust, doing her best to remain presentable and pushed passed what happened.

When she turned around to face him once again, Sean was able to watch the Maahes vanish and the young woman with the two-toned eyes return.

Without warning, she thanked his for his help, grabbed her jacket and quickly left. If she was trying to inconspicuous, she failed miserably. Perhaps the way she handled the situation was 'wrong', but Lily wanted space between she and Sean.

Sean remained in the refinery for a few moments after he heard her car disappear in the distance. Alone, he felt his taunting smile fade. Sean felt… different, now that she was gone.

He thought Lily was a good-looking young woman. There was no way around it; she'd grown into an attractive adult. It was simply fact, but after the strange ordeal, Sean found himself actually feeling it. For some reason, the fact that he thought her pretty actually meant something to him. It was almost as though…

Shaking the thought from his head, Sean got ready to leave. He all but refused to believe he was becoming attracted to Lily. That was unacceptable as far as he was concerned.


	28. Chapter 28

**AN:** Let me know what you think. A bit rushed, but I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 28**

S. 4, Episode 9

Lily was asleep and ripped violently from that slumber by her ringing cell phone. The sound of it was ear-piercing and forced her to wake almost instantly. She still hadn't become accustomed to her senses and moments like this, when her guard was down, they were at their worst.

She reached for the phone and answered the call.

"Yeah," she groaned, both from lack of sleep and the ache between her temples.

"_Lily?"_

Nick's frantic voice caught her as off kilter as the phone call. Lily sat upright and glanced to the alarm clock on her bedside table. It was nearly three in the morning and that coupled with the worried way he spoke her name made ice trickle down her spine.

"What's happened?" she asked, completely awake.

What came from his mouth was a torrent of information that took her a moment to sift through. When she had, she realized that Monroe had been taken by the Wesenrein and Rosalie was at his house with Juliette. He wanted Lily there to help keep them safe.

She didn't hesitate to agree.

~!~

The knock on the door made Rosalee and Juliette both jump. Each of them raced for the front of the house, expecting it to be either Monroe or another officer –someone with information- and were surprised to see Lily. Juliette opened her door freely.

"Lily, what are you doing here?"

Lily's eyes darted to Rosalee and in the young woman's expression, both could see why she'd arrived in the middle of the night. Rosalee couldn't keep the tears back when confronted with a friend who knew what happened. Without speaking, Lily stepped inside and wrapped her arms around the Fuchsbau.

"They took him," she whimpered in a shaking voice.

"Shhh," Lily did her best to console Rosalee who clung to her as hard as she could. Rosalee knew she could hug Lily as tight as possible, tighter than she ever could Juliette, without fear of truly harming her, and she was right. "Nick called me." Lily said. Her eyes met Juliette's, who'd appeared behind Rosalee. "He asked that I come to watch over you, in case anyone returns."

"Thanks." Juliette told her with sincerity.

Lily barely managed to force a smile while she hugged Rosalee for as long as the woman needed.

~!~

Hours passed and no one relaxed. Periodically, Lily would walk the perimeter to check for anything and then return to the tense, thick atmosphere inside the house. She pitied Rosalee, wholly and truly.

"Coffee?"

The sound of someone finally speaking caused Lily's insides to jump. She turned and spotted Juliette offering her an empty cup.

"Thanks," Lily smiled softly.

As she prepared herself yet another in a long line of cups of coffee, she didn't notice Juliette staring at her. She hadn't noticed her sneaking peeks the entire night, either, but Juliette couldn't help it. There were questions she was dying to ask the young woman and now that the situation had calmed as much as anyone expected it to, she decided she might as well try.

"Hey, Lily," she chimed. Lily glanced up from her cup as she stirred in the sugar. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"What uh… what was it like…" the words didn't seem willing to come. "What was it like when you suddenly became wesen?"

The odd question caused Lily to look at her. For a moment, Juliette thought she could sense it. She thought the Brit could surely tell something was wrong, but she never said anything about it.

"Strange," she offered after a moment of thought. "I'm still getting used to it, actually. Why do you ask?"

Juliette shrugged a single shoulder.

"I don't know." She openly lied. "I just thought it was probably a little freaky to suddenly be wesen one day."

Lily smiled softly.

"It is." She said with a gentle laugh. "There's a whole new world of things to get used to."

"Like what?" she asked more eagerly than she meant to.

"Well," Lily sighed as she turned to lean against the countertop. "I suppose the strangest bit is my senses and strength."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm stronger now." She explained. "Much stronger than I used to be, which wasn't insubstantial. I can physically throw a grown man across the room now."

"Whoa,"

Lily nodded and continued, "And my senses have been turned up to eleven. I can hear things much sharper than before, from much greater distances. Sense of smell, even my sight are stronger than before. It's unusual, but I'm coping, I suppose." She smiled.

"How?"

"How what?"

"How are you coping?"

"I don't have much of a choice, to be honest. I can either roll with it, or fight it, and what would that accomplish? This is as much a part of me as these," she pointed to her two-toned eyes. "I can cover them up, try to make them look 'normal', but why? In the end, they'll still be two separate colors. It's the same with this. I can try to pretend it isn't there, but that doesn't make it go away."

Juliette felt herself nodding as she stared absently at the tiled floor.

"The trick, I've found, is speaking to someone similar. There aren't any Maahes here, but Rosalee helped, Monroe as well. Other predatory wesen."

"That makes sense." She conceded.

Lily smiled again and nodded before slipping away from the kitchen to return to the living room. Juliette remained for a moment or two and thought about what Lily had said. It made sense, obviously, but she wasn't sure how much –if at all- it helped. If what she'd seen in the mirror was real, Juliette had to find another Hexenbiest to learn from, and the only one she knew was insane.

~!~

Day turned into night and vice versa, and still nothing had changed. Lily was beginning to feel the tension and it was making her nervous. She wasn't worried or scared like the others, but her body was filling with nervous energy just the same. She found it difficult to sit still and as a result had taken to pacing the house. While Rosalee and Juliette worked on the list of names, she paced. Every once and a while, Juliette would glance up to see it. The best she could compare it to was the anxious pacing of a wildcat in the zoo. The analogy was disturbingly accurate.

When a phone rang, everyone leapt and immediately went in search of the source. It was Lily's and she answered quickly when she noticed the name across the screen.

"Nik, yes?"

Juliette and Rosalee congregated around her quickly in hopes of any news. Lily switched it to speaker just so they could.

"_Hey, I need you to come down to the precinct. Is that okay?"_

"Of course, but why?"

"Have you found anything yet?" Rosalee hadn't meant to nearly scream the question, but she found restraint difficult.

"_Uh… no, not yet."_ He answered reluctantly. Rosalee's shoulders fell and her eyes began to fill with tears again. "_But we have a couple leads."_ He felt the need to add. _"Lily, I need your help though."_

"With what?"

"_It's kind of hard to explain, but please?"_

"Uh… sure. Of course." She answered unsurely. "I'll leave now."

He thanked her and ended the call.

"What's that about?" Juliette asked.

"I've no idea." Lily answered honestly. "Perhaps he needs an extra set of hands, I don't know. I'll call you both."

They nodded and she left shortly after.

That was all Lily could think. She assumed he'd want her help because she was a private investigator and while not a professional sleuth like the detectives, she wasn't far from it. That wasn't it, however, and when she arrived, she was told the truth.

Nick explained that they were introducing Wu to their world and wanted a crash course. She was still trying to come to terms with his request as she was led into another room. Inside stood Hank, along with officer Wu and a man she hadn't met before.

"Lily, that's Bud." Nick introduced the portly man.

"Uh, hi." Bud nervously greeted. "You must be a friend of Nick's. I mean, why else would you be here, right?"

"Right…" she answered slowly. Her eyes drifted to Wu. "Officer, hello."

"Hey…" he looked her over. "So uh, you're wesen, too?"

She cocked a single brow, but nodded just the same. The situation she found herself in was beyond strange.

"I am." She nodded as she sat in the chair Nick pulled out for her.

"You an Eisbeber like him?" he asked as he pointed to Bud.

"Not exactly."

"I asked Lily to come because she's…" Nick hesitated to think of a word.

"Predatory?" Lily offered. Nick sheepishly nodded. He didn't want to say it out loud, but Bud was a bit on the cuddly side versus frightening. "Right, well," she adjusted herself and looked at the curious man across from her. "Ready?"

Wu nodded and a moment later, he was presented with Lily's 'other' face. He was shocked by it, but not the only one. On instinct, Bud shot back, away from the feline and hit the distant wall. The loud sound caused everyone to turn to him and that was when he saw it. Again, on reflex, he woged.

"You're a Grimm?!" he squeaked.

Nick and Lily both sighed and she nodded.

"Wait," Wu interjected. "That can happen?"

"I'm… complicated." She admitted.

"What kind are you?"

"A Maahes." She replied. "And before you ask," she opened her mouth unnaturally wide and showed him her pointed, dangerous teeth. After a good look, she held up her hands and displayed the claws that sprouted from her fingertips. A moment later, the façade vanished and she was the same young woman he'd seen multiple times before. "All right?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

Wu had trouble making things make sense. He was stuck in the world of having to believe what he saw, but none of it was sinking in. That would happen later. At the moment, he was simply trying to make his brain believe his eyes.

After a few more goes, and seeing the difference between the two wesen, Bud was able to leave. Nick tried to dismiss Lily too, but she seemed a bit unwilling.

"I'm not going anywhere, Nick." She told him sternly. "I may be useful, all right? And I cannot go back to that house with nothing to give Rosalee. She is breaking."

His heart sank and he knew she was right, but he wasn't certain what she could do at that moment. Instead, he found himself nodding, and that was it.

~!~

A whirlwind of activity followed, but they found Monroe. They knew where he was being held and didn't hesitate to go in search of him. Nick, Hank, Wu, Renard, Lily, Juliette and Rosalee formed a dangerous and motivated mob bent on bringing back their friend.

"Burkhardt." Riken growled. He suddenly woged and growled at what he saw. "So, you got it back."

"That is the rumor." Nick replied.

"Disgusting," Lily hissed under her breath. She hadn't meant for the word to escape her lips, but she'd begun shaking with rage at the sight of the hate group they were surrounding.

Riken's attention shifted to her and an angry, hideous growl emanated from him shortly after.

"Another Grimm."

"Not exactly."

So filled with rage, Lily let herself woge and Riken could see immediately what his un-woged brothers could not. He saw her gold and black eyes, eyes that didn't belong to something purely wesen.

"_You_." His spat hatefully.

"Me." She replied in the same tone.

Lily knew she'd be recognized. As she was with Monroe and Rosalee by name, word spread of the young woman through the years. Her parents were infamous within their world and it was common knowledge a child had been born. Since none dared repeat the Quinns' mistake, it was obvious she was _the_ child.

"Grauel." Riken literally spat the word which made Lily smirk. The contempt in his voice when he called her an abomination in German honestly brought her a bit of joy. "You're an abomination. You should have been slaughtered in utero."

Without a word, Lily simply held up her middle finger and flipped off the leader of the hate group. He growled angrily, even letting his lips curl back over dangerous teeth, but she was unphased by it. In fact, for some reason, she loved that they hated her so much. The feelings were mutual.

"Come on, Riken." Nick called, diverting the young man's attention back to him. "It's over."

"You can't arrest us all, Burkhardt." Riken called.

"You're right. Some of you will be stupid."

As though wanting to play into the cop's warnings, or not taking them seriously, Riken ordered everyone to attack. It was a mistake.

The crowd immediately broke apart. Most tried to attack those who surrounded them, but with a couple of gunshots, were quieted. Still, at realizing they would be fired upon, some chose to run. That wasn't smart either. Half of those who'd come to rescue Monroe leapt into the woods without hesitation in search of stragglers.

It seemed like only minutes passed before everyone who'd left slowly began to return, without their prey. What did return, however, was them covered in blood. It wouldn't take a genius to understand what happened.

Renard had a bit on his overcoat, Juliette had some on her face. Rosalee's mouth was covered in it and so was Lily's and her hands. Still, none of their friends even bothered questioning it. Those in the hate group who'd chosen to give up without question were suddenly glad they had. Evidently, no one was interested in police procedure.

What followed their arrests was a long line of inquiry. More officers were called to come take away the group and those covered in blood had to hide their clothes and wipe it away quickly so it wasn't obvious what they'd done. Still, it helped having police in on it. Evidence would likely vanish at some point.

As the night wore on, the past few days began to weigh on everyone's shoulders. Nick, Hank, Wu and Renard made the process as quick as possible so everyone could go home. They simply got preliminary statements because they knew they'd return for more. Everyone knew the drill. Besides, this wasn't the first time they'd all come together to hide the truth.

~!~

Nearly two weeks had passed since Monroe had been kidnapped and returned. While they were all doing their best to go back to their lives, Lily already had. She had the least involved in the incident, after all, and found returning to the way things were much easier than the others.

At the moment, she was in the middle of nowhere, actually in the same abandoned building where she and Sean previously sparred. The space was too perfect for her not to use it. It was isolated and big, really her only requirements.

It had become her sanctuary in recent weeks, a place where she could workout, test her abilities and remain hidden from the world so she could do so. She didn't have to hold back at the risk of being seen. It was incredibly freeing.

A little more than a week ago, Lily had brought a heavy bag to the location and hung it with a thick chain from exposed metal up above. It would sway, but stayed in place and that was all she needed.

As she kicked and punched the object, Lily heard her phone ring. She ignored it in favor of her workout. She didn't much feel like answering it and if it were important, they'd call back anyway. That's what voicemail was for.

Eventually, the ringing ceased and her workout continued, but apparently, whoever had called her wasn't willing to let the subject lie. The trouble came when they didn't call her again. Instead, the sought her out.

Roughly twenty minutes after the phone call that meant nothing, Lily heard a car pull up in the distance. Curiously, she reached for the bag, held it in place to keep the chain from making noise, and waited. For a moment, she thought the owner of the property found out someone was using it and planned to have words. That may have actually been preferred to what appeared in the doorway.

"Sean," Lily greeted halfheartedly.

Renard stepped closer while she went back to her workout. Lily didn't know why he was there, how he found her or what he wanted, and she didn't want to ask. Instead, she pretended all of her attention was on the heavy bag. It was a lie, however. Now that they weren't surrounded by people, or busy with someone, she felt the tickle of her crush come back and she hated it.

He said nothing as he walked deeper into the warehouse and closed the distance between them. Lily didn't bother acknowledging him again as she kicked the bag.

For a moment, he remained silent and simply watched her. He watched as her muscles tensed when she swung her leg. He watched as the muscles in her back did the same when she punched. He saw how she balanced on the balls of her feet and kept her weight balanced. He even noticed that she'd glance to him periodically out of the corner of her eye, but remain silent.

He simply watched, and after a few moments, it grew on her last nerve.

"What?" she asked with an exasperated breath as she turned to face him again.

Renard cocked a single brow as he looked over the young woman standing in spandex. He hated that he liked it even a little bit.

"You didn't pick up your phone." He told her evenly.

She scoffed to herself and shook her head as she returned to the bag.

"And you didn't leave a message." She countered. "What could be so important that you'd call, even show up, but not leave a voicemail?"

Her remark was meant to be teasing, but held a bit of truth. He was just grateful she hadn't asked how he found her. Renard didn't want to tell her that he had accessed her phone's GPS to do so because he knew what a violation of privacy it was, and how furious she'd be.

"Victor's in town." He told her plainly.

"Victor who?" Lily asked as she punched the bag.

Renard took a breath and let it out slowly as he prepared internally for what was about to happen.

"My brother."

Lily suddenly went still. The fist she'd swung at the bag never connected. Instead, her body froze.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at him. Renard could see a bevy of emotions hidden within, but apprehension was the most dominant. Eventually, she stood upright and gave him her full attention.

"Does he knew about me?" she asked as calmly as she could.

"Not to my knowledge." He replied. She relaxed, but he knew it wouldn't last. "But he has Adalind with him."

Her brows came together for a moment as she searched her memory for someone with that name. Then it donned on her.

"The Hexenbiest you knocked up?" she turned her attention back to the bag and ignored his light glower. "Does that matter to me?"

He knew she wasn't being intentionally rude, simply asking.

"It depends." He continued. "Adalind is known to use secrets to get what she wants and I doubt she'd be passed telling Victor about you if she thought it could benefit her in any way."

"Is that why you came here?" she turned to him again. "To warn me that your _baby mama_ is a bit of a bitch? Sorry to say, but I caught that when we met."

"I came here because she's searching for Diana." His voice was growing terse. "And if she thinks you had anything to do with it, she will tell Victor. While Adalnd may not know that you've turned, it won't matter. There's still a bounty on your head through the English family and Victor is smart enough to put two and two together." He noticed her footing shift. "You need to be careful, Lily. Bitch can be a bit of an understatement when it comes to Adalind if you're in the way of something she wants."

Lily's brows slowly rose.

"And you got her pregnant? Smart." She openly teased. His glare deepened, but she didn't feel one way or the other about it.

She waited for only a moment for him to say something else, but when he hadn't, Lily returned to her workout. As he had before, Renard watched. When his thoughts slowly became indecent, he realized he had to leave.

"Be careful, Lily." He said as he turned. "Try and keep your head down."

She glanced to him briefly before he disappeared and felt her actions slow once again. Even after she heard him drive away, Lily wondered why the hell he would have driven all the way to the warehouse to speak with her if that was all he had to say. It was important information, yes, but nothing that had to be said in person. He could have called her again, or left a message. He didn't have to deliver the news face to face.

Her brows came together as she tried to make sense of the strange situation. Eventually, she returned to her workout, but couldn't get the odd incident out of her mind.


End file.
